These are the Moments
by hellogoodbye57
Summary: A series of one (and sometimes two, three, or four) shots set after Serenity. I do stick with canon up until Serenity (I haven't read the comic books, so it doesn't follow those). Mal and Inara are my favorite couple, so this mostly centers on them, their relationship, and their family, but other characters make appearances as well, including some of my own.
1. Unexpected (November 2518)

I wanted to try something a bit different with Firefly and since I often have a lot of different plot ideas, I thought a series of oneshots with shifting perspectives would work well. However, some of my onsets have lengthened into three and four shots (turns out some of my plot ideas are rather lengthy), so if you see multiple chapters with the same date in the title, that's why. I will also call this out at the beginning of the chapter. You'll also notice that the oneshots aren't in order, and some of them reference other events that happened earlier in the timeline but don't have a story yet. Generally, I will go back to fill in those gaps but if there's one that you don't see and are particularly interested in, let me know and I can write it.

Each onset is written in third person limited, but I do switch the perspective from chapter to chapter since I find that more interesting. I've tried to keep the characters in character though with certain changes that I have added due to their changing circumstances.

Now, without further ado, the first oneshot.

 **Unexpected (November 2518)**

Inara Serra had always preferred things ordered. Even as a child, she would meticulously choose her outfit for school each evening and iron it, laying it neatly over the chest at the end of the bed so she would not have to think about what to wear in the morning. By the time she was in grade school, she had already come up with a plan for her life. She wanted to be a companion, to gain a prestigious position in a top House which could allow her to escape from her rather dreary home planet. Career path decided, she began to work meticulously toward her goal, completing her training quickly and efficiently before moving to one of the top Houses on Sinhon. Within six years of her certification, she had already worked her way up the ranks, and there were rumblings that she would be the next Priestess, the youngest Companion to ever achieve such a rank.

Despite Inara's planning, however, life seemed to have different ideas. A series of events left her reeling, and the Mother of her House forced her to take a leave of absence to clear her head. Unable to completely give up the lifestyle, Inara sought a spot on a ship where she could continue her work while exploring new lands. She thought it would be a temporary thing, a way to spend a pleasant year or two before returning to the House to assume the position she had been waiting to achieve her entire life. However, life seemed determined to intervene in her plans.

When she first met Malcolm Reynolds, he was not what she would expect. He tried to portray himself as a petty criminal, an uneducated man who cared about little else except the loot he received from a job. However, Inara quickly realized that he was simply putting on an act. He was actually quite intelligent, and his rough speech would sometimes slip into a far more refined cadence that indicated a high level of education. He was fiercely loyal to anyone he considered part of his crew which, much to Inara's surprise, included her nearly from the beginning. He lived by a timeless code of values not based on any law but by the clear delineation of right from wrong. Despite Inara's initial disdain for the man, she found herself unwittingly learning to respect him.

Mal was not only unexpected himself but tended to cause unexpected occurrences around him. He was a master at wreaking havoc on Inara's carefully constructed plans, often unintentionally. Inara wanted to hate him for that, but she found herself unable to do so. In fact, she found herself drawn to Mal in a way she had never been drawn to anyone else before. And so she stayed on the ship long past the year she had originally intended. She tried to tell herself that she simply needed more time to heal, more time to enjoy the relative freedom outside the confines of the House, but as she neared the end of her second year on Serenity, she realized that her reason for staying was simple. She was in love with Malcolm Reynolds.

Of course, Inara did not _want_ to be in love with that infuriating man. She was a Companion; she had clients to see, and wooing became quite difficult when one was constantly thinking of another man. So she tried to hide it, but that, too, soon became impossible. With no other options, Inara left. She fled Serenity and the man who had made her life so confusing and disordered.

Mal's influence, however, continued. His penchant for bringing the unexpected into her life seemed to know no bounds. First, the Operative coerced her into sending him a wave to convince him to come to the planet, a wave in which she tried to signal as best as she could that it was a trap. She thought he understood, but he came nevertheless, and she soon found herself back on Serenity, now bound for a planet called Miranda.

At the end of their adventure, Inara thought about returning to the training school, but she simply could not bring herself to do so. She was not even sure why she was holding back. After all, there was nothing tying her to the ship. In fact, remaining on board was likely to uproot her life even further, to simply increase the number of unplanned events in her life. But perhaps that was a good thing. Perhaps she needed a bit of spontaneity, a way to keep things interesting.

Mal certainly provided plenty of spontaneity. She had always assumed that she would need to make the first move if anything was going to happen between the two of them, for Mal, despite his talk, always struck her as the type to shy away from romantic entanglements for fear of rejection. Therefore, she was quite surprised when, after a few glasses of wine and an interesting conversation about poetry one night, he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. As soon as he pulled away, he stood, gave her a small smile, and said goodnight, leaving her to simply press her hand to her lips in shock.

He continued to kiss her surreptitiously at least once a day after that, always when they were alone and always only briefly. After a few such occurrences, she began to make a game out of it, trying to guess where the kisses would occur. She did not guess correctly once.

Though he made the first move, she was the one to take the next step, an action that seemed to surprise both of them. Afterwards, as they lay together, he finally admitted aloud the feelings she had known for quite some time. She returned the sentiment, and they fell asleep in one another's arms. By the time she awoke the next day, however, he was gone, but the small smile he sent her way over breakfast told her he had not regretted the previous night.

They remained discreet, neither wishing to make a fuss over their new relationship. Mal had an unspoken but deep-seated fear that if they let anyone else into the little bubble they had built around themselves, it would all come crashing down. Inara shared it to a lesser extent, certainly enough to agree to his plea for discretion. He was so accustomed to bad things happening that it felt like nothing good ever could. So they held onto their secret, protected it. Of course, that did not mean the others failed to notice that something was different. Kaylee remarked one day that it seemed Inara had not had a client in a couple months, and though Inara laughed it off with a comment about the lack of options on the small moons Serenity had been frequenting, she later realized she was purposefully _not_ looking for clients. There would have been plenty of suitable candidates at a number of their stops, but she had never even considered taking one. Somehow, with her newfound relationship with Mal, it simply seemed wrong.

Of course, stopping only on the outer rim planets did have other consequences, consequences which Inara had not even fully considered at first. After two mornings spent kneeling over the toilet, however, she had to acknowledge them. A simple test, one which every Companion kept near her just in case, confirmed her suspicions and sent her mind reeling. She needed to talk to Mal.

He sought her out in the cargo bay after dinner, a cup of cocoa in his hands. It had become a nightly ritual for them; they would spend some time swapping stories while they sat on the bridge overlooking the cargo bay, their legs dangling between the railings. Sometimes, Mal brought cocoa; other times, Inara made tea. Somehow, they always ended up with a beverage but never with two; Inara had not even really considered just how unlikely that was before, but now she found herself pondering the probability, trying to keep her mind off the more pressing matters at hand. "What's wrong, 'Nara?" Mal questioned, his forehead furrowed. She had forgotten just how proficient he was at determining her moods.

"What are your plans for the future?" she questioned, sipping her cocoa. The hot beverage singed her tongue, but she welcomed the sting. It focused her mind.

He shrugged. "Reckon I'll keep flying Serenity as long as I can, go where the wind blows me and where the money is. She still has a good many years left in her."

"And what about Toby and Rose?"

Mal's eyes shifted in the direction of the crew bunk they had outfitted as a nursery. It was directly across from Zoe's bunk which let the new mother easily take care of the twins at night when they needed her. In fact, all of the crew members had chipped in to help in some way, even Jayne. "They'll stay with us as long as Zoe wants them to. She has no family to speak of and Wash's don't much like her, so there ain't nowhere else for her to go."

"Is that really a good way to raise a child? What about school?"

"Plenty of kids these days are raised on ships. Zoe herself was born vesselside. They have school over the waves, and I imagine we could teach them plenty. Why the questions? Did Zoe say something to you?" A look of concern spread over his face, and Inara could not help but to smile. He tried to act tough, but it was clear he cared deeply about all his crew members, even the barely-two-month-old infants of whom they were speaking.

"No, Zoe did not say anything. I just wanted to know your thoughts."

"My thoughts are that it's Zoe's decision. They're her kids. Not up to me to tell her how to raise her own kids."

"What if it was up to you?" He squinted at her in confusion, and she took a deep breath, bracing herself for the news she was about to deliver. "What if it was your child?"

He shook his head quickly. "Look, 'Nara, I don't know what you think, but Zoe and my relationship is purely friendly. Ain't no way those are my kids. 'Sides, Toby looks so much like Wash it's crazy."

"I'm not talking about Toby and Rose," Inara said. Their eyes met, and she looked at him meaningfully, willing him to read the truth in her eyes. She simply could not bring herself to say the words out loud.

After a few seconds, his eyes widened, and she nodded encouragingly, hoping he was catching on. "You mean. . ." He trailed off, obviously unable to say the words as well. "When?"

"In about seven and a half months." He nodded without speaking, doing the math.

"I always thought. . . I mean, I didn't use anything. Was I s'posed to? I thought as a Companion, you had to have some sort of. . . thing to stop this."

Inara sighed. "Companions do use a medication designed to prevent pregnancy. We have to take it daily. But you can usually only get it on Core planets, and it's cost prohibitive unless you go through the Guild. Since we haven't stopped on any Core planets recently and my status with the Guild is currently. . . shaky, I have not had a chance to restock."

"So all this time we've been. . . you've been unprotected?"

Under other circumstances, Inara might have found his inability to say the word "sex" despite the fact that they'd been intimate for nearly four months endearing. However, under the current circumstances, she could not help but hear the underlying accusation in his tone. "You're upset."

"Damn right, I'm upset. Gorram it, Inara, why didn't you tell me? Don't you think this is a decision we should've made together?"

Inara knew he felt justified in his anger, and he probably was somewhat justified, but she could not help but snap back at him. "You never asked either. This isn't solely my responsibility." He looked chastised by her outburst, and his next words were softer.

"Gorram it, 'Nara, what are we going to do? Our lifestyle ain't exactly conducive to raisin' a child."

Inara could not help but give him a slightly wobbly smile. It seemed that no matter how upset he was, the thought of not raising his child never entered his mind. "You just said you'd let Toby and Rose stay on the ship as long as Zoe wanted. They would probably enjoy a playmate."

"No way. It's too dangerous."

"Toby and Rose would be in just as much danger."

"But they're Zoe's children. This is my baby."

"No, Mal, it's _our_ baby. And this ship is our home. There would be no more danger in keeping a baby here than there would be in trying to settle down on some Outer Rim planet somewhere. The Alliance is never going to completely stop looking for you. At least this way, we can stay one step ahead of them instead of waiting around like sitting ducks."

"'Nara-"

"You know I'm right, Mal. Look me in the eye and tell me that I'm not."

Their eyes met, and their gazes held. Finally, he sighed and reached out, cupping her cheek gently in his calloused palm. "You're going to be the death of me, Mei ran," he said, pulling her forward for a passionate kiss. After a few seconds, he pulled back, resting his forehead on hers. She could tell he was thinking hard, and she smiled as she watched him favor his lower lip in thought. "I think I could have Kaylee help me build a wall in your shuttle and create a small nursery. That is, if you're willing to give up your tea room and have tea in the mess area with the rest of us plebians."

Inara laughed. "I think I can handle that."

"Does that mean you'll give up the Companion stuff for good? Can't be good for business to have a baby next door."

"Mal, I gave it us as soon as we entered a relationship and I stopped taking clients."

"Not officially."

"Well, I'll make it official tomorrow." He nodded, satisfied. "You know, this means we're going to have to tell everyone else about us."

Mal shrugged. "They were bound to find out eventually anyway." With that, he leaned forward and captured her lips once more. Inara smiled into the kiss. Yes, Malcolm Reynolds certainly had a way of attracting the unexpected, but she would not have it any other way.


	2. Once Upon a Time (May 2523)

**Once Upon a Time (May 2523)**

"Baba, it's your turn to tell the bedtime story," a small voice called. Mal swiveled in the copilot's seat, a wide smile forming on his face when he saw his oldest son standing at the door to the flight deck, already dressed in his light blue pajamas, his hair slightly damp from his bath.

"My turn already?" he teased, already standing.

"Yes," River announced from the pilot's chair. "There are seven of us, one for each day of the week. Though day is an arbitrary construct based on the rotation of Earth that was. It's Inara, you, Kaylee, Zoe, me, Simon, and Jayne. You have what are conventionally known as Mondays."

Mal nodded, too tired to puzzle through the flow of words from River's mouth. She was more lucid than she had been before Miranda, for the reduced stress and some of the new medications Simon had found seemed to calm her, but she still spoke in riddles sometimes. "Thanks, Albatross," he said. Stepping to his son, he swung the small boy easily into his arms, and Ben automatically curled up against his father's shoulder. As Mal stepped out of the flight deck with the warm weight of his son against his chest and the clean scent of the baby shampoo Inara used flooding his nostrils, he thanked God or whatever other benevolent being might be out there for bringing such happiness into his life.

As expected, he found all of the children except Karina, who was not quite walking yet, crammed into the two small beds in the twins' room. "Looks a mite crowded in here already," Mal remarked, beginning the traditional bedtime ritual. "Perhaps you won't get a story tonight if the storyteller has nowhere to sit."

"No, sit with us, Unca Mal!" Toby pleaded. "We'll make room." He dutifully scooted over in the bed, nearly falling off in the process. Chuckling, Mal bent down to sweep him into his arms, settling onto the bed with both Toby and Ben in his lap. Immediately, Aanya crawled onto his lap as well, practically pushing her brother off of his father's lap. He accepted the change in position with more grace than Mal had expected, but Aanya had always been able to get away with more than any of the other children, both with adults and children alike. "Careful, gongzhu, let your brother climb on as well. There's plenty of room," Mal told her, shifting her weight so that Ben could slide back onto his lap. Once they had settled, Mal turned to the occupants of the other bed. "Does one of you want to pick the story tonight?" he offered. They nodded eagerly and bent their heads together. After a few seconds, Rose announced the selection.

"We want to hear 'bout the unicorns."

Mal raised an eyebrow at her. "The unicorns, huh?" All five children nodded eagerly. "Okay, okay. Give an old man a break. My mind ain't what it used to be." Mal pretended to think for a minute until Toby, tired of the silence, finally spoke.

"Unca Mal, just tell the story!"

"So impatient, yundong. Auntie 'Nara would tell you patience is a virtue."

"But Auntie 'Nara ain't here," Toby objected.

"Fair point. I suppose I oughta be getting on with the story then. The year was 2519. We were eagerly anticipating the arrival of a certain someone," he glanced meaningfully at Ben, "who was already two days late, mind you." The children all giggled, even Ben whose mother had teased him endlessly about his delayed birth. "I got a call from an old buddy of mine who was in a bit of trouble. He had found himself on one of the outer planets with a group of folk who believed in all sorts of crazy tales—witchcraft and dragons and other things you find in fairy tales. Despite their somewhat unorthodox beliefs, however, they were decent folk, and my buddy decided to settle with them. He even fell in love with one of them, and they got married.

Unfortunately, his young bride fell ill soon after their wedding, and she spent a number of days battling a fever. They didn't have medical supplies or fancy doctors or the like, for they didn't believe in modern medicine. Instead, they called a healer in, a woman they said was wise in the ancient ways. She claimed she could cure the young woman better than any doctor. She simply needed to apply a special poultice to remove the sickness from her body. My buddy was highly skeptical, but his wife believed the woman and insisted on the poultice. He was desperate to cure her by that point, and he thought that at the very least, the poultice might give her some hope which would allow her to recover. So he asked the old healer for the list of ingredients and set out to obtain them.

The list had all manner of odd ingredients, but he still managed to obtain all but the last one. Powder from a living unicorn horn. The woman insisted that she needed to be there for the extraction to ensure it was pure, so he could not simply pass off some dust as the ingredient.

He was desperate, and he had heard that I was a man who could do the impossible, so he sent me a wave. Now, I didn't want to go, for your mother was about to give birth at any moment, and I didn't want to be on some backwoods moon when that occurred."

"But she made you do it!" Toby exclaimed. Mal was happy to note that his voice was slightly softer than it had been. It seemed he was starting to succumb to sleep.

"Now just wait a minute, yundong. No one made me do anything. I am the captain of this ship, and it's me who does the orderin' around here." He stared down into the small boy's blue eyes, so similar to those of his father and felt for a moment that he was staring at his former pilot. However, he quickly shook those thoughts from his head and gave a small smile. "Though I suppose I did agree to it at her encouragement, nian qing-de," he admitted. In truth, Inara had ways to make Mal do anything she wished. He liked to pretend it was simply her Companion training, but he knew in his heart that it was more than that. He loved her, plain and simple. Loved her so much it hurt sometimes, and it was that love which made him more likely to agree to her plans than anyone else's, even Zoe's.

"She pointed out that it wasn't likely to be a dangerous job, the type that was hard to come by, and we did need the money. She even came up with a clever plan to make us a unicorn. We knew a rancher on the way who was willing to loan us a white horse, and she fashioned a horn out of plaster, prettied it up with some glitter, and attached it to the mare's head. She wouldn't pass close inspection, but she made a believable enough unicorn from a distance. We explained the plan to my buddy who also agreed it was a good suggestion, and we put it in motion.

We landed on the planet just after dawn and were planning to do the 'harvesting' that night. We were gettin' the horse ready when some idjit decided it was a fine time for target practice."

"Unca Jayne," Rose remarked with a yawn.

"Yeah, he's probably the biggest idjit on this boat. Anyway, his first shot spooked the horse. I was the closest, so I jumped on to try and reign him in, but he took off like lightning with me clinging on and the horn hangin' halfway off his head since we hadn't gotten 'round to attachin' it fully yet. Must've looked all kinds of stupid."

"Actually, I think you looked quite gallant," a soft voice remarked, and Mal looked up to see his wife standing in the doorway, her long nightgown hanging loosely off her body but still somehow accenting her curves in just the right way. Even after three children and four years of marriage, she still took his breath away, more so due to the soft curves indicating the presence of their fourth child.

"I s'pose that's why you were laughin' your head off with the rest of 'em then, huh?"

"Well, you looked quite gallant once you gained control of the horse again. I must say, Mal, until that day, I had not realized just how well you rode."

"Told ya I grew up on a ranch."

"Finish the story, Unca Mal!" Toby instructed. Mal cleared his throat, reminding himself that it was neither the time nor the place for the direction of his thoughts. His wife could be all sorts of distracting without even trying.

"Well, I did manage to get the horse under control again, and I brought her back to the ship so we could fully attach the horn. Then, we waited for nightfall and took her to a specific agreed upon location. My buddy was s'posed to bring the healer to a particular clearing to find the unicorn, and he promised to whistle when he arrived. We could then let the horse loose so he could tranquilize it and file off a part of the 'horn.' So there Zoe and I are, crouched behind some rocks with a horse who really just wanted to run, waiting for the signal. The time came when he was supposed to give it, but we heard nothing. So we waited. And waited. And waited. Just when I was about to give up, here comes Kaylee sprinting toward me, waving her arms around wildly. I tried to get her to calm down, to tell me what was going on, and she finally did manage one word. Labor.

Turns out someone had bad timing. Kaylee agreed to stay with Zoe while I ran back to the ship, and I fortunately got there before Ben made his entrance into the world. Barely. By the time Kaylee and Zoe returned with the 'unicorn,' it was nearing daybreak and Ben was about an hour old. We were so focused on that for awhile that we didn't stop to consider why there weren't a need for our unicorn. But when we finally realized that something must've gone wrong, Zoe went back to figure out what. A few hours later, she comes back all confused, sayin' something about how my buddy had found his unicorn and filed off a bit of his horn. When we told him it weren't our unicorn, he wasn't sure what to say. Finally, he just proclaimed it to be a miracle and left it at that. The healer had already made the poultice, and his wife was awake and cogent, so he wasn't too concerned with the details.

We left the next day and returned the horse. I still talk to my buddy from time to time, and he's doing quite well now. He's got a daughter and a son on the way, and his wife shows no signs of sickness anymore. Hasn't seen a unicorn again, but he tells me that it's probably the type of creature who shows up only when you need it. Reckon he's right, too, cuz I ain't ever seen one either."

"Never?" Rose asked, her voice soft. Mal looked over to see her eyes already closed. Rick had already fallen asleep in her bed, a fact which Mal did not find overly surprising. His boys were like wrecking balls on two feet when they were awake, but if you managed to get them to stay still for more than a couple minutes, they would drop off to sleep quite quickly.

"Never," Mal confirmed. "Now, close your eyes, xiaohua. It's been a long day today, and I have it on good authority that Auntie Kaylee is taking you all shopping when we land tomorrow." A small smile formed on her face as she followed his instructions. Mal glanced back at Inara who still stood in the doorway to the room. He nodded at the three children in his lap, and she stepped forward, lifting Aanya from his body. With his daughter safely nestled in her mother's arms, Mal stood and carefully transferred Toby to his bed, holding Ben to his other shoulder with his free hand. Once Toby had snuggled under the covers, he lifted Rick as well, barely noticing the weight of the two toddlers as he followed his wife from the room.

"Are you ever going to tell them that the healer felt bad for poor Tomas and put together her own fake unicorn for him to catch?" Inara questioned as they walked toward the crew bunk the boys shared. Mal shrugged.

"They're still young. If you can't believe in fairy tales and happy endings when you're young, when can you?"

"I like to believe that I got my happy ending," Inara said, looking meaningfully at the three children they carried. He smiled at that sentiment.

"Maybe that's why you ain't ever seen a unicorn."

"Maybe," she agreed. She pushed open the hatch, and he grinned, leaning over to kiss her soundly before stepping inside to tuck in his slumbering sons. No, Malcolm Reynolds certainly had no need for unicorns in his life.


	3. Fairy Tales (November 2522)

**Fairy Tales (November 2522)**

Petaline stared at the freshly dug dirt in front of the simple gravestone. Everything had gone so badly. She had not wanted anyone to be hurt, but it had happened anyhow, and she was powerless to stop it. Her eyes strayed to the second gravesite nearby, a site overgrown with grass. She wished Nandi were present. Nandi would have some ideas of what they could do. As it was, Petaline was quickly running out of options. Her latest plan had ended in disaster. Two of the girls had ended up injured badly, and poor Jadeyn had lost her life. She needed to do something else, something drastic, something the Alliance men would not expect.

Thinking of Nandi made her remember the last time they had been in trouble. They had called an old friend of Nandi's, a Companion who knew some fighters that were able to help. Inara had been close to Nandi and had done a favor for an old friend. Petaline was not sure if that same willingness would extend to her as well, but she had to try something. With that thought in mind, she turned and walked back into the house, her back straight and proud, willing herself not to cry.

She found Inara's wave code in an old address book of Nandi's, and she marked the page before carrying it out of the room to the front office where she could make the wave. One of the older girls, Samara, stopped her before she reached the office. "Are you calling Nandi's old friend? Inara?"

"Do you think she could help us?" a second girl, Nylah, asked.

"Reckon I won't know 'til I wave," Petaline remarked.

"Do you think she's still on the ship with the fighters?" Samara questioned.

"I hope she is. The captain was so yingjun," Nylah said.

"It was too bad he didn't want to bed any of us the last time he was here. He seems like the type to know somethin' about sexin'."

Though Petaline agreed with the sentiment, she also wanted to ensure the girls weren't making too much trouble. "The captain was working the last time he was here, and if he does come again, he will be this time as well. If he asks for one of you, that's fine, but neither of you should seek him out. Lijie?" The girls both nodded, suitably chastised. She moved into the office, shutting the door firmly behind her. Though the girls made no move to follow her, she was sure that if she were to open the door, she would find them both with their ears pressed to the wood in an attempt to hear.

Deciding it would be best to deal with that issue at a later time, Petaline booted up the wave and sent the code. A picture appeared on the screen a few seconds later. Petaline vaguely recognized the girl on the screen from the previous visit five years before. She had been in the birthing room with the doctor though her wide-eyed innocence and puzzling questions had Petaline wondering about her qualifications. Additionally, she looked so young, likely not yet out of her teens. Even now, she did not seem to have aged since their last encounter. "Petaline," she said simply. "Knew you would call. Felt it. Already turned the ship in your direction. Shouldn't be but two days out."

Petaline stared at the wild-eyed girl in shock for a moment, unsure of how to respond to her matter-of-fact statements. She seemed unconcerned with Petaline's silence, contenting herself with fiddling with something off-screen. "Albatross?" a deeper voice called from behind. "You talkin' to someone in there?" The girl's finger pointed at the screen though her eyes did not move from her task. A couple seconds later, a new face appeared in view, a face that Petaline recognized well. He, too, seemed untouched by age. In fact, in many ways, he seemed younger than when Petaline had last seen him. His face was less lined with worry and grief, and his eyes almost seemed to sparkle.

It took Captain Reynolds a few seconds to place Petaline's face, but he did. "Petaline," he said, surprise coloring his tone. "I would say I'm happy to see you, but I suspect from your expression that it's not good news."

"Bad. Bad men, bad ideas, just bad," the girl muttered. Captain Reynolds reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She quieted under his touch,

"Wanna tell me what's goin' on, Petaline?"

Petaline took a deep breath and began her tale. "There are some men who decided to settle here a few months ago. They have Alliance ties, and they were originally supposed to come determine if this moon could handle an expanded population. At first, that's what they did. They reported back that an expanded population would strain our limited resources, which is probably correct, and we figured that was that. But on their last night here, one of the townsfolk told them about our house, and the fella decided to avail himself of some of our. . . services."

"He get rough with you?" Mal questioned.

"No, it was a normal enough encounter. But they didn't leave the next day. Turns out, they got it in their head that they could make some money on this moon. They started demanding taxes from us, threatening us with killin' and all manner of unpleasantness if we don't pay. And if we couldn't give them the cash, they would demand. . . other forms of payment."

"So you want us to come talk some sense into them?"

"I wouldn't be askin' if we weren't real desperate. I don't have much in the way of payment, 'cept some spare vegetables from our garden. And of course, you would have access to any girl you wanted."

"I'll take you up on the former, but we're okay on the latter." He thought for a moment. "'Cept maybe Jayne. But I don't want him having too much fun, blowing all our credit 'fore it's earned."

"Does that mean you're coming?"

"Already two days out. Course set," the girl remarked. The captain gave her a fond smile.

"My pilot tells me it does. How many men did you say?"

"Eight."

"With Alliance ties?"

"I don't think they have Alliance backing any longer. One of our girls is a genius with machines, and she managed to fix up a wave so we can spy on their communications. They told all the men here to report back three weeks ago. Doubt they're happy with them now for disobeying direct orders."

"Well, that's a small blessing. We'll see you soon, Petaline."

"Many thanks, Captain Reynolds." He reached forward and clicked off the wave. Petaline sat back in her chair, thinking for a moment. Belatedly, she realized she had never seen Inara nor asked after her. Perhaps the Companion was no longer on board; after all, Petaline had always found it strange that such a high class woman as Inara would associate with the crew of Serenity. However, it was none of Petaline's concern. If Captain Reynolds was willing to come even without Inara, Petaline would still be forever grateful.

They touched down two days later as promised. One of the girls ran inside as soon as she saw the Firefly landing so she could tell the others. Petaline sent two of them out to greet the crew as she supervised some last minute cleaning and shuffling of rooms. Jonah danced around her feet. At five years old, he was a ball of energy, and his constant movement often drove his momma crazy.

"I appreciate the greetin' party, but you didn't need to go to no trouble at our expense," a gruff voice remarked suddenly. All of the girls in the room turned, and Petaline saw smiles break out on more than one dour face at the sight of the captain standing in the now-open doorway, a gun strapped at each hip and a knife on his leg. It appeared that more than Nylah and Samara had crushes on the dashing captain. Petaline hoped she would not have a problem on her hands. Everything had happened so quickly the previous time that they had not had time for petty jealousy, but with the Alliance men not scheduled to show up for six days, it would be quite some time before there was any significant action.

"It was no trouble at all, Captain Reynolds," Petaline assured him as she approached, Jonah still at her heels. She had nearly forgotten about the little boy until the captain bent down to his level, a wide smile on his face.

"Do you like to play outside, Jonah?" he questioned. Jonah nodded eagerly. "Ask your momma if you can." He looked up at her, his eyes pleading, and Petaline relented immediately. He was always easier to handle if he had a chance to run off some energy. Seeing the nod, Captain Reynolds continued. "Why don't you go outside? There are some people there I think you'll want to meet." Immediately, Jonah sprinted past the captain, slipping out the doorway.

"Jonah, manners!" Petaline called after him. Shaking her head at her wayward son, she turned back to the captain. "Sorry 'bout that; we're still working on manners."

"S'all right. I'm used to it." Shouts from outside interrupted their conversation, and Petaline moved to the window to ensure Jonah was safe. The captain moved with her. As soon as Petaline looked outside, however, her mouth dropped open in shock. Jonah was running around with four other children, three boys and a girl who all looked to be a bit younger than he was. "Hope it's okay we brought 'em with us. We'll get them out of harms way 'fore the shootin' starts, and we can take Jonah, too, for safety's sake. But we always try to let 'em run around when we're planetside. They build up a lot of energy cooped up on the ship."

"They're yours?"

"Only a couple." He pointed to the two youngest boys, and Petaline could clearly see the resemblance. No wonder he was so good with Jonah. "The other two belong to my first mate, Zoe. You might remember her." He gestured to a tall, dark-skinned woman standing to one side of the melee, watching the children like a hawk. "Other than her, you have my pilot, River, whom you met. Our muscle, Jayne. Kaylee's our mechanic, and Simon's our doctor. And you know Inara of course." He pointed out each person in turn. Petaline's eyes widened further as she realized both Inara and Kaylee were holding bundles in their arms that could only be infants. The father of Kaylee's was quite obvious; the doctor hovered close to her, his eyes never straying from his young family. The father of Inara's baby was less obvious at first, but when Petaline considered all the pieces of the puzzle, they really only fit in one way.

"You have a baby as well?" she guessed, pointing to Inara.

"A little girl. Kaylee's is as well. The women on the ship are over the moon to have the gender ratio a bit more balanced again."

"I'm sure they are." Petaline was still trying to comprehend the fact that the gruff captain she had met years earlier and the beautiful, talented Companion had not one but three children. It was practically unheard of for a Companion to have children. It was a career ender, something each one worked assiduously to avoid. And unlike Petaline and her girls, they had the means to ensure it did not happen. Petaline wondered how it did.

However, she was too polite to ask such a question. Instead, she said simply, "You have two beautiful boys." He smiled.

"Thanks, but I think most of the credit goes to my wife. Now, I know we're here for a reason, so let's get down to business. Zoe, Jayne!" Two of the more heavily-armed crew members separated from the rest and walked over to the doorway. With a final look at the playing children, Petaline led them to the small office so they could conduct business.

About twenty minutes into the strategy conversation, a soft knock sounded on the door. Petaline bade the other person to enter, and the door swung open to reveal Inara standing on the other side with a squirming infant in her arms. "Sorry to interrupt, but I fed her and can't get her to sleep. I think she just wants her father." Captain Reynolds stepped forward, and they transferred the infant from one parent to the other in a practiced maneuver. The captain immediately lifted the infant to his shoulder, automatically bouncing her in his arms.

"I think we're about done here anyway," he remarked, looking to Petaline. She nodded, trusting his judgment much more than her own. Zoe and Jayne rose as well, and the three made their way outside to where the children were playing. The captain hung back for a bit, watching them with a fond smile, but once the baby fell asleep, he passed her to Inara and joined the fray. His sons and Zoe's twins immediately accosted him, jumping on his back in an attempt to force him to the ground. Even Jonah joined in, and for the first time, Petaline began to wonder if she was being fair to him by denying him a father. Sure, his biological father would not be a good candidate, but there were plenty of other men out there, men such as Captain Reynolds who would be a good influence on the small boy.

Before those thoughts could spiral too far out of control, she shook them from her head. She had a beautiful son whom she loved. That was more than most people had; there was no use wishing for other things. Happy endings only occurred in fairy tales. Real life had a lot more rough edges.

After dinner that night, they gathered in the common area, and Petaline observed in amazement how well Serenity's crew fit in with the members of the house. The kids were already looking tired, and the captain mentioned going back to the ship. Jonah was the first to protest, offering to let them share his room. Captain Reynolds looked torn, so Petaline stepped in. "I think it will be good for all of them to get to bed soon. No reason for you to travel all that way back to your ship just to come back first thing in the morning. We have rooms already made up for you. I can place a few extra cots in Jonah's room for the older kids, and his old crib should fit both the babies. As for the adults, we have two spare rooms and Amaris has kindly offered to give up hers as well." Petaline nodded to a young redhead to her right who clasped her hands demurely.

"It would be my honor."

"Oh, we couldn't do that," Inara insisted. "Mal and I will be fine sleeping out here." Mal gave her an indecipherable look, and a silent conversation quickly flowed between them. Finally, Mal cleared his throat and turned to Amaris.

"Thank you kindly, Amaris. We do appreciate the loan of your room," he said. She smiled broadly, obviously enamored with the fact that the handsome captain and famous companion would be sleeping in her bed.

"I'll take you there if you want," she offered.

"We oughta get the kids to bed first, but then we'll take you up on that," Captain Reynolds told her. "Shouldn't be but half an hour or so." She nodded, stepping away, and they began to usher the children from the room to prepare them for bed.

Later that night as Petaline lie awake in bed, thinking, she heard odd sounds coming from the room next door. It was Amaris' room which meant that Inara and Captain Reynolds were the source of the sounds, a realization that simply made them stranger. At first, Petaline thought one of them was having a nightmare. It would not be unexpected given their lifestyle. But the sounds did not sound nightmarish; in fact, they sounded simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar, an odd combination that Petaline could not quite place.

Since she was unable to sleep anyway, Petaline swung her legs out of the bed and padded to the door. When she stepped into the hallway, she saw Amaris and Samara crouched near the door of the room next door, listening. "Sounds like he's sexin' her," Samara remarked when she saw Petaline.

"I doubt it. She's making too much noise. A trained companion doesn't make noise during sex," Amaris argued. Petaline's eyes widened as she realized the girls were most likely right. The sounds of sex were certainly not unfamiliar, for they did live in a brothel, but though the sounds she was hearing indicated that activity, they were certainly different than the usual sounds of sexual activity. For one thing, Amaris was correct that most of the girls were not nearly as vocal, having been taught by Nandi and then Petaline that a proper woman conducted the act quietly. But Inara seemed to have discarded that propriety. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Always knew the captain would be a talented lover," Samara said. "Certainly sounds like he knows something 'bout pleasin' a woman. Wonder if Inara would be willing to share."

"Is that what sexin' is s'posed to sound like?" Amaris asked. "Mine don't."

Petaline cleared her throat, unsure of how to respond. She had come to the house when she was just a teenager and had no experience with men outside of its walls. She certainly was not sure what sex was supposed to sound like, at least not sex between a man and a woman who loved each other and not a man who had paid for a woman's company.

"That's 'cuz theirs is different. Did you see the way he was looking at her at dinner? Or the way he looked at her when she suggested they sleep in the common room? He's wanted to have sex with her all day long. This has been a long time comin'."

"Girls, you shouldn't be here," Petaline chastised, finding her voice again.

"But we're learnin'," Samara objected.

"This is a private moment between the captain and Inara. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate being spied on."

"But you've never minded before."

"This is different."

"Why?" Amaris asked again.

"Because. . . because they love each other. Because it's not something they're doing out of duty or for money or anything like that."

"Why are they doing it then?" Amaris asked.

"Sounds like it's all sorts of pleasin'," Samara observed.

"Sex?" Amaris seemed puzzled by the concept. "It's not _that_ pleasin'."

"Mal, right there," Inara's whispered voice remarked from behind the door.

"'Nara, Bao bei, o wo de shangdi, you're amazin'." Further conversation was cut off as both groaned loudly, and Petaline began to shoo away the two curious girls. They left somewhat reluctantly, Samara still theorizing on the pleasure of the act for Inara and Amaris asking questions. Once they had left, Petaline stood outside the door a few moments more, contemplating the girls' conversation. Something was certainly different about Inara and the captain's relationship, and Petaline simply wished she could find that same connection.

They spent the next five days preparing for the Alliance men's arrival. Fortunately, Captain Reynolds' relationship and his obvious devotion to his wife deterred any of the girls from asking if he wished to use their services, so no conflicts arose. The doctor, too, seemed content with his wife and baby girl, and Jayne was willing to take any woman who would take him, so things were relatively even. The kids all got along splendidly, and one night at dinner, Ben jokingly remarked, "The food here is so much better than the stuff on Serenity. Could we just stay here?" His tone was light and teasing, and his parents responded in a similar manner. However, Jonah followed up with a question that was much more difficult to answer.

"If they can't stay, can I go with them on Serenity?" he asked, his eyes bright. Petaline realized with a sinking feeling that unlike his new friend, he was completely serious about his plan.

"Little one, you belong here," she told him.

"But here's so boring."

"Here you have lots of room to run around and play. If you're on board a ship, you can't go outside to do that." Jonah looked to his new friends who nodded in confirmation of his mother's assessment.

"I guess." He sounded somewhat disappointed, and Petaline imagined that it would be quite difficult for him to say goodbye to the children of Serenity when the time came. However, he was a good boy, and she knew he would accept the situation for what it was.

The Alliance men had always come exactly thirty days apart in the past, but on this particular occasion, they came a day early. Petaline wondered briefly if they had another mole in the house, but she quickly dismissed that thought. The girls were all fiercely loyal to her, and she detected no hint of spying. Likely, the Alliance men had simply seen Serenity touch down and were concerned.

Fortunately, they did have advance warning. The captain had been out setting down a few booby traps, and he came galloping back on one of the horses Petaline had loaned him. For a moment, she let herself admire how well he rode. It seemed almost effortless, like the horse was an extension of his own body. However, she did not have long to marvel before he stopped the horse in front of the house and vaulted off. "Kaylee, River, get the kids on the mule and get them back to Serenity. The hundan Alliance fools have come a day early." He had managed to run into the house by that point, and his voice had adopted a commanding tone that no one dared to disobey. "Jayne, Zoe, get everyone ready at their stations. Petaline, get a gun to any girls who want to help and get the rest in the back rooms. Don't look like there's that many of them, so we may get lucky." He grabbed two guns from a nearby table and quickly opened them to check the ammunition.

"Baba?" Ben questioned, his voice slightly shaky. Mal turned from the gun to give his oldest son a comforting smile.

"Go with Aunt Kaylee and Aunt River, ah jie. They'll take care of you. Jonah, you go with your friends as well." He gave the boy a large smile.

"Are you sure that they'll be okay with just River and Kaylee?" Petaline asked worriedly as her little boy, her flesh and blood, obediently followed the other children out the back to where the mule was parked. She noticed that both Kaylee and River were carrying guns, but she doubted their ability to use them effectively.

"Trust me, they're safer with River than any of the rest of us," Captain Reynolds told her, clicking the chamber of the gun shut. "She'll take care of them."

"Nestlings need protecting," River remarked as she walked past them. Petaline watched her a bit doubtfully, but the captain had not yet been wrong. Also, he had sent his own children with the girls, so he obviously trusted their ability to handle themselves.

"'Nara," the captain said, turning to his wife.

"Mal," she responded, challenge in her tone. They stared at each other for a moment before he sighed and handed her a rifle. "Aim for the men, not the horses," he said. She nodded, and he leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was raw and passionate, but it also spoke of a deeper connection. He released her after only a few seconds, squeezing her hip briefly before striding out of the room, his deep baritone carrying easily as he finished giving orders. Inara watched him go for a moment before moving to the window, resting her gun on one of the supports they set up there. Petaline imagined there was a deeper meaning to the exchange, but it escaped her.

When they first saw the men on the horizon, Mal exited the house, two guns held in the air and two strapped at his hips. "I hear you men have been givin' these fine folks a peck of trouble," he called. The group seemed surprised by his presence, and the leader halted their movement with an outstretched hand.

"We got no quarrel with you."

"Seems you do. See, a quarrel with the members of this house is a quarrel with me. And I've heard you have quite the quarrel with them, what with takin' their money unlawfully."

One of the men spat. "What we're doing is perfectly within the law."

Mal waffled his hands back and forth. "I think your boss might beg to differ. Mind if we wave him?"

"He's not here," the leader told him. "In fact, all I see is a man looking to get himself shot." He drew a pistol from his belt. Mal started to lower his gun as well, but before he could point it at the man, a loud shot reverberated around the valley and the pistol dropped from the man's hand as he cried with pain. Petaline looked over in surprise and saw Inara cocking her rifle to chamber another round.

"Nice shootin', 'Nara," Mal's voice remarked softly over the radio.

"Just trying to keep you from getting shot. Again," Inara responded.

"Uh huh. Lookin' like that's gettin' a mite more difficult," Mal responded, beginning to run back toward the house as the other members of the crew drew their guns as well. He lowered his gun to point at the leader, knocking the man off his horse with a single shot just as he dove behind some empty crates for cover. "Everyone else can start shootin' now!" he called over the radio. Immediately, a cacophony of shots sounded. Most flew wide of their targets, for the girls and boys of Petaline's house had not trained in gunfighting. However, a few found their marks, including another of Inara's and one of Jayne's. After the first volley, only four men were still on horseback. One of them opened fire with a machine gun, but Mal quickly stopped him with a well-placed bullet to the chest. After that, it did not take them long to pick off the last three, and a cheer went up among the house members as last one collapsed off his horse. Mal stood when he saw the final man fall, turning to face the house. His eyes were searching for something, and it did not take long before Petaline realized what it was.

"I don't understand why you always have to put yourself right in the middle of the shooting," Inara remarked, her voice loud and clear over the radio. Petaline noticed she had left the common area and was walking toward Mal.

"Seems the captainly thing to do. Always thought you shouldn't tell someone to do somethin' lest you were willin' to do it yourself."

"And you like being the center of attention."

"Admit it, you like it too. It makes you all hot an' bothered." It seemed they had forgotten their radios were transmitting. Zoe, the only other person on the first floor wearing a radio, glanced over at Petaline, her eyebrows raised.

"Uh, Captain, I dunno that I wanna hear this," Jayne remarked over the radio. There was a bit of static as the captain and Inara turned off their radios, but not before Petaline heard one final remark.

"Shen a nuren, wo ai ni," the captain muttered. Glancing out the window, Petaline watched as he brought Inara's face to his, kissing her fiercely. Across the room, Zoe pulled her rifle out of the window and ejected the round from the chamber.

"Best leave 'em to it. They'll go on for a few minutes. We're lucky this weren't a worse scare."

"Why's that?" one of the girls asked.

Zoe smirked. "Last time we got in a really tight bind, that went on for nearly an hour." The girl's jaw slackened, mirroring Petaline's own feelings on the matter. She glanced out the window again, noting that the captain had wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her body flush against his as he devoured her mouth. They were so close it was difficult to tell where one began and the other ended. Watching them kiss, however, Petaline could not help but feel slightly jealous of Inara's good fortune. All her life, Petaline had reminded herself that happy endings were for fairy tales, that they had no place in real life. But it looked like Inara had received her fairy tale ending. It made Petaline wonder if perhaps she should reconsider looking for her own fairy tale ending.


	4. Chance Encounters (May 2528)

**Chance Encounters (May 2528)**

Gabriel Tam scanned the crowd impatiently, hoping to catch sight of his wife. He was already frustrated, and it was only 10:00 in the morning. He hated being near the docks; they always seemed to have so many people. Gabriel was not a fan of large crowds. But his wife wanted to look for some fancy fabric that was only sold at the docks, so they had made the trip. He had picked out his worst suit, knowing that any other would look out of place among the poorer classes. He just hoped that he could go home soon and change into something civilized.

His eyes roamed the crowd suspiciously, landing on a beautiful woman in a flowing silk gown who looked even more out of place than he did. Gabriel suspected she was a companion. Her clothing and beauty certainly seemed to fit that particular profession. Gabriel had had a number of encounters with companions in his day, mostly in his younger days. However, the woman standing in front of him was more beautiful than any companion he had seen before. Were he twenty years younger, he would likely strongly consider hiring her. Regan had never minded when he sought gratification elsewhere in their early days of marriage; it was expected of a man of his class. A woman, especially a high-class woman, could not be expected to fill all of a man's needs.

As Gabriel's eyes roamed appreciatively over the woman's figure, they suddenly widened when he noticed a multitude of children standing beside her. He counted six in total. He had never heard of a companion who had children, much less one who had six. It was especially surprising that the woman had been able to maintain her figure after so many children. Perhaps she had hired a surrogate. Companions made a good deal of money, and based on her looks, he imagined her services were quite expensive.

Before he could ponder long, another young woman joined her. She was beautiful as well, but it was a simpler beauty, less refined. She wore overalls and a grease-stained shirt which contrasted sharply with the colorful silk of the companion's robes. However, the two seemed quite familiar with one another, greeting each other with wide smiles. Gabriel wondered briefly if they were married. He had never heard of an adoption agency letting a couple adopt quite so many children, but perhaps if the companion had friends in high places, it would be possible.

The second woman had two young boys in tow as well, and the older ran to the companion with shouts of "Mama!"

"Did you find all the parts you needed?" the companion questioned, lifting the small boy into her arms easily.

"Not quite, but Cay here wanted his momma."

"Aunt Kaylee, can I come with you to find the rest?" one of the older boys asked, clearing up Gabriel's confusion about their relationship. It made sense that not all of the children belonged to the companion. That explained a good deal.

"Sure, xiaomal, let me just drop some stuff back at the ship first. You wanna help carry it?" The young woman shifted a bag on her shoulder.

"Dad says I should always help carry things for women," the boy said seriously.

"That he does," a male voice remarked, and Gabriel looked over to see a third adult had joined the small group. He pressed a hand briefly into the companion's back, and she leaned into his touch. Gabriel's eyebrows rose at that action. The man did not look like the type to attract or afford a woman of the companion's standing. His clothes were plain and patched in a couple places, and his face was streaked with dirt. He had the body of a working man with large, calloused hands and sun-bronzed skin. Most worrying of all, however, were the two guns strapped at his hip.

"Baba!" one of the young girls exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the newcomer.

"Hullo, gongzhu. Have you been behaving for Momma and Aunt Kaylee?"

"We've all been good, Dad," one of the older boys assured him. The rest of the children nodded.

"Good to hear. Now, I understand we've got some parts to take back to the ship. Why don't some of you come help me with that so Kaylee can go find anything else she needs and we can get off this rock? Jayne, Trey, and Zoe are already back loading the cargo." He reached for the bag that Kaylee carried, but before he could grab it, shouts attracted his attention to a scuffle that had started a few feet away. Gabriel looked up as well, noting that there were six combatants in total, all dressed in ragged clothing and shouting about money. He sighed. He avoided the docks for precisely this reason.

The man muttered a string of unintelligible Chinese, his hand dropping to the gun at his side. He stepped between the fighting men and his children, a gesture that seemed subconscious. The companion stepped beside him, and he turned to look at her. "Get behind me, 'Nara," he instructed.

"Give me a gun, Mal," she responded coolly. They stared each other down for a moment before he sighed and drew one of his guns, passing it to her. She held it with a familiarity that surprised Gabriel. "I still don't see why I can't have my own," she muttered.

"Really not the time for this argument again." The man, who Gabriel now knew was Mal, was watching the scuffle carefully. "Suffice to say, I wanna make sure that if you do get arrested, you can use your womanly wiles to get out of it. Gets a mite harder with a gun."

"I'd be fine."

"Sure you would be, Honey, but I ain't takin' chances I don't have to." Suddenly, shots sounded, and Gabriel thought for a moment that they had come from Mal and the companion, but he quickly realized they originated from the members of the scuffle. Two of them had pulled out guns. People around them screamed and scattered, but the odd family in front of him remained. Mal had drawn his other gun and leveled it on the fighters. The companion had pointed hers in that direction as well.

"Take the one on the right, Mal," she said. He sighed but complied with her request, adjusting his aim. They fired together, and one of the combatants with a gun dropped. However, the other spun, firing wildly. Gabriel watched in amazement as Mal threw himself in front of the companion just as the man fired in her direction. He heard a grunt of pain.

"Shensheng de gou shi, woman, I thought you had him," Mal groaned, aiming and firing at the man who was still shooting. He dropped immediately.

"This gun is much too large for me. If you'd just let me get my own. . ."

"Not 'til you learn to aim better." The remaining four combatants were moving toward the family now, their eyes glinting dangerously. "Kaylee, take the kids and get back," Mal instructed, taking aim with a wince. A third combatant drew his gun as well, but before he could fire, Gabriel heard something which chilled him to the bone.

"Gabe?" his wife's voice called. "Where are you?" Gabriel spun to see that she had spotted him and was fast approaching. Unfortunately, her approach took her directly between the fighters. He wanted to reach her, to call out to her to stop, but he seemed frozen in place. Time slowed as he watched her step closer to the melee, still oblivious. He had told her time and again to watch her surroundings, but still her head was in the clouds. He always blamed her for his children's somewhat dreamy dispositions. And now, that inability to see what was present was going to get her killed.

"Gorramit," Mal muttered. "Ta ma de feng, woman, get down!" He shouted the last words, and Regan swirled, confused. Before she could move, however, a shot sounded, and her mouth fell open in surprise. She dropped to the ground, and Mal growled as he quickly dispatched the gunman as well as one of the other opponents. Before he could hit the others, however, the two men reached him, and one of them punched him hard in the side. With a cry of pain, he dropped his gun, his other hand clutching his side. The man leered as he reared back for another punch, but Mal was surprisingly quick given his injured state. His elbow shot up, catching the man under the chin, and his fist knocked out his opponent's breath as the man reeled back. A second punch landed on the man's head, but before he could finish him, one of the boys interrupted.

"Baba, behind you!" Mal spun around just as the glint of a knife announced his second opponent had drawn a weapon. The blade slashed down, opening up a gash in his arm. With a roar of pain, he kicked the man's hand, sending the knife spinning to the ground. A second kick landed in the man's stomach, and Mal grabbed his hair, pulling him back sharply. One of the boys picked up the knife from the ground, carefully testing its weight.

"Don't even think about it, Ben," Mal warned, his breathing heavy as he slammed the second man into the first, causing both to stagger backwards. However, the boy did not listen. Raising the knife, he stared closely at the second man, sending it flying toward him. Though he likely intended to hit the man's torso, the knife flew wide, embedding itself in his arm instead. He gave a loud screech of pain which quickly ended as Mal picked him up and slammed him into a nearby building. He crumpled to the ground, but Mal was already moving toward his other opponent. A well-placed kick brought the man to the ground, and Mal followed him down. He slammed the man's head into the pavement three times before he finally went still.

Immediately, as if someone had pressed play on a cortex, movement began again. There were a number of screams from bystanders, and the companion rushed to Mal's side as he crouched, groaning, beside his recently-dispatched opponent. "I'm fine," he told her. "Go check on the woman." He gestured to Regan, reminding Gabriel suddenly of her presence. He began to push his way through the panicked crowd, reaching his wife's side just as the companion knelt beside her and reached for her neck. "I've got this," he told her, unwilling to have his wife sullied by the hands of the woman in front of him.

"I have medical training," she assured him.

"I think she needs more than your whore first aid," he remarked scathingly, noting the blood which covered her upper right arm. "Go see to your. . . man."

Her eyes narrowed, obviously catching his tone. "My husband asked me to check on her first. He'll live. He's certainly had worse."

"I am sure he has."

"Gabe?" Regan asked, her voice laced with pain. He returned his attention to his wife as her eyes fluttered open. "It hurts, Gabe," she moaned, clutching her shoulder.

"Looks like a graze," a gruff voice announced. Gabriel looked up to see Mal standing above them, one of the small boys in his arms. He was bent over slightly but otherwise seemed none the worse for wear except for the rapidly expanding crimson stain on his side and arm. "Hurts like hell but certainly not life-threatening. If you get it stitched up soon, you probably won't even get a scar."

"Thank you for your concern, but I would like to have a real doctor make that assessment."

The man shrugged a shoulder. "Your choice."

"No hospitals," Regan insisted. Ever since Simon had left so many years before, she had studiously avoided all healthcare facilities. She claimed they brought up too many painful memories.

"Regan, you need to see a doctor."

"No hospital," she repeated, sitting up.

"You have fun with that," Mal said, his tone sarcastic. He turned to leave, and Gabriel noted with some surprise that instead of turning in the direction of the main portion of the city where all the hospitals were, he was moving closer to the edge of the docks.

"Where are you going?" Gabriel asked.

He turned, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Don't see how that's any of your business. Way I see it, I saved your wife's life and I ain't even got a thank you. Seems you owe me more'n I owe you."

Gabriel pressed his lips together in a tight line, unwilling to say the words. Regan, however, had always been too kind and forgiving for her own good. "Thank you," she told him. "But don't you need a hospital, too?"

"Don't much like 'em myself," Mal said. "I got a doctor on board my ship that I trust a whole helluva lot more than any of them fancy surgeons at your hospitals. He'll fix me up good."

"Can I come with you?" Regan pleaded. "Can he fix me up, too?" Mal hesitated, glancing at the other members of his group. "I'll pay you, of course, for your troubles." Mal glanced again at the companion, and a silent conversation flowed between them.

"Fine," he agreed. "Kaylee, help her up. You can lead the way. Ben, Rose, Toby, grab Kaylee's bag." Immediately, they all scrambled to do as he instructed. Kaylee stepped over to Regan, bending down beside her.

"Now, we're gonna take this nice and slow," she assured the woman. "You lean on me and your husband there and we'll help you to your feet. The ship ain't but a few hundred meters away, so we'll make it just fine." Gabriel wanted to object, to insist on taking his wife to a real doctor at a hospital, but he could not deny her wishes. Instead, he let her place an arm around his shoulders as she rose unsteadily to her feet. They began to walk slowly, and he heard the soft footsteps of the children as they fell into line behind him. Briefly, he glanced back to see that Mal and the companion had not yet started walking. They stood together, the young boy no longer in his arms. She whispered something to him; though Gabriel could not make out the words, it made Mal chuckle slightly and then wince. He glared at her theatrically, and she gave him a radiant smile before leaning forward to press her lips to his, heedless of the multitude of people surrounding them. Gabriel's eyes went wide as he watched them kiss. It was the kind of kiss that no proper person would initiate outside of the bedroom, a kiss that spoke of love and longing and desire. It was certainly not the type of kiss he had ever bestowed on his wife. But then, the people in front of him were quite different than he and Regan.

He was pulled out of his contemplation by Kaylee's sunny voice. "They'll catch up to us when they finish with that. Inara don't much like seeing the captain hurt though you think she'd be used to it by now. But they do tend to get a bit more affectionate after a scare like this."

"Captain?" Regan asked, intrigued.

"Yep. That's the captain. Inara's his wife as you might've guessed. Danced 'round each other for a good long while 'fore they finally admitted their feelings, so I always assume that's why they're so affectionate now. It's funny 'cuz I always thought of the captain as a private person. Inara brings out a new side of him."

"So what's your relationship to them?"

"I'm the ship's mechanic," she explained proudly. "Been keeping Serenity runnin' for near thirteen years now. She's a good ship. You're gonna like her. And you can meet my husband as well. He's the doctor on board."

"You have a doctor on board your ship?" Gabriel asked, thinking it an odd position to staff.

"Sure do. He helps out a lot when the crew gets hurt. It's also nice when we're on the outer moons 'cuz he can help out there since they don't have good medical care."

"And all these children are yours?" Regan questioned, pointing to the kids, many of whom had run ahead of the slow-moving trio.

"Not by birth, but in many ways, they are. We call 'em Serenity's children sometimes. But only those two belong to me," She pointed to a young girl who shared her pale complexion and sleek brown hair as well as a little boy with dark, raven locks. "That's Karina and Davis. Ben, Rick, Aanya, and Cay belong to the captain and Inara, and Toby and Rose are our first mate, Zoe's." She pointed out each child in turn. Regan smiled and continued to pepper her with questions about them for the remaining portion of the short journey. Gabriel was not too surprised. His wife loved children and had always lamented that they never had more of their own, especially once Simon and River disappeared.

Gabriel thought the ship they reached looked one step away from the junkyard, but he wisely kept his mouth shut as Kaylee told them all about its features. Regan seemed intrigued, but he let his attention wander, noting the two people who stood on the deck, a man and a woman outfitted with a whole manner of weapons. They were unloading a number of crates, and the pieces suddenly clicked into place. Smugglers. He and his wife had come across a whole band of smugglers.

As Gabriel was considering the best way to discreetly wave the Alliance and report the group in front of him, the woman called out to them. "Got some new friends, Kaylee?"

"There was a bit of a mishap in town," Mal's voice said behind them. Gabriel turned in surprise to find him standing a few feet away, leaning heaving on Inara. "Thought Doc might appreciate a payin' patient." He nodded to Regan.

"That so, Sir?" The woman seemed skeptical, but she said nothing further.

"Kaylee, take your friend back to the doc, let him patch her up so we can be on our way."

"What about you, Captain?"

He let out a loud breath as Inara helped him down onto a couple crates. "I've had worse. I'll be okay a mite longer. Doc can patch me up later."

"Mal-"

"I'm fine, 'Nara," he said, meeting his wife's eyes, challenge in his own. They stared at each other for a moment before she relented.

"I'm going to make sure all the kids got on board. You really shouldn't have carried Cay with your injury. You just made it worse."

"Kid was terrified and needed a bit of comfort. I wasn't so torn up I couldn't do that."

"Think I saw them all headed to the rec room," the other woman remarked. Inara nodded and swept off in that direction. "You gotta stop getting yourself into these things, Sir. Can't you see your wife is terrified for you?"

Mal groaned, leaning back against another crate as he closed his eyes. "Weren't my fault this time, Zoe. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Captain stepped in front of a bullet to stop it from hitting Inara," Kaylee said softly.

"Do it again, too," he muttered, his voice softer. Zoe watched him with a fond smile.

"Take our visitors back, Kaylee," Zoe instructed. "Trey and I will take care of the captain."

"I'm fine," he mumbled. "Don't need no fuss. Just a few stitches and I'll be good as new." Gabriel lost the rest of the conversation as Kaylee propelled them out of the bay. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the metal grating as Kaylee continued to tell them all about the inner workings of the ship. When they reached a room that clearly served as the infirmary, she helped Regan inside and up on a table. A dark-haired man stood at one of the counters, his back to the door and all his attention focused on the young girl sitting in front of him, swinging her legs as she talked.

"Then Unca Mal jumped in front of Aunt Nara and got shot, but he kept fightin' and brought the rest of the bad men down, too."

"And no one else was hurt?" There was something familiar about the man's voice, something that Gabriel couldn't place. The memory flitted just out of his reach.

"None of us. There was a woman who was. That's who Mama wants you to patch up."

"I can always count on you for thorough updates, huihui," the man remarked with a chuckle. He finished snapping on his gloves and turned to face the trio. Immediately, the color drained from Gabriel's face, and he heard his wife gasp loudly.

"Simon?" she questioned.

"Father? Mother?" he asked. The stitch he held in his hand dangled from the curved needle, moving slowly back and forth, the only movement in the room. Even the young girl had stopped swinging her legs, likely sensing the tension.

"These are your parents?" Kaylee questioned. Simon nodded mutely as the starting contest continued. A thousand questions and thoughts warred for dominance in Gabriel's mind. He wanted to tell Simon to come home, to forget whatever nonsense got him in trouble with the alliance. They still had considerable sway with some very powerful people, and Gabriel could likely clear his son's name. He also wanted to know what Simon was doing on the ship, why he had thrown a brilliant career in medicine away to play doctor on backwater moons and raise children with a simple mechanic. However, none of those thoughts or questions surfaced.

The young girl finally broke the silence. "You have parents?"

"Everyone has parents, Karina honey," Kaylee explained with a small smile.

"But since they're Daddy's parents, that would make them my grandparents. Uncle Mal said none of us had grandparents. Said it made us special."

"It seems your uncle was wrong, Sweetie. I'm your grandmother," Regan told her. She no longer seemed to notice the pain in her shoulder, for she was so focused on her granddaughter.

" _Everyone's_ grandmother?" Karina clarified.

"No, just yours, Sweetie. And your brother's. You have a little brother, don't you?" Karina nodded.

"Karina, go to the rec room," Simon said finally.

"But I wanna stay here with my grandparents!" she whined.

"It's not up for debate. Go!" He pointed at the door. Pouting, she slid off the counter and left the room.

"Simon, you didn't have to do that!" Regan exclaimed. "I would love to get to know my granddaughter. I'm so happy to just find you alive, but the fact that you have two beautiful children is just icing on the cake."

"I'm going to give you a mild analgesic. You might feel a slight pinch," Simon said.

"Simon, are you listening to anything I'm saying?"

"Right now, Mother, I'm just trying to do my job." He pushed a syringe into the skin near her shoulder, and she jumped slightly. Once the liquid was injected, he retrieved the stitches and began to methodically close the wound, all his attention focused on the task.

"Simon-" Kaylee began, but another voice interrupted her.

"Doc, that fengkuang di diyu sister of yours is mutterin' something about birds and nests and refuses to fly my ship. Trey and Zoe are with her now, but they don't seem to be able to talk her down. You need to sew me up and talk some sense into her. Don't much care about the order." Mal stopped in the doorway, obviously noting the tension in the room. "I miss somethin'?"

"Captain, these are Simon and River's parents," Kaylee introduced.

"River? She's alive? She's with you?" Regan questioned, turning toward the captain hopefully.

"Hold still, Mother, I still have a couple more stitches," Simon admonished.

"Ta ma di diyu, this day keeps gettin' better 'n better," the captain remarked. "Doc, you want I should get a gun from the armory for you?"

"Captain, they're his parents!" Kaylee exclaimed.

"Ain't up to you and me, Kaylee. This is the doc's decision."

"Thank you, Captain, but not right now. I think we can all be civilized here." Simon glanced up at Gabriel, his eyes challenging. Gabriel suddenly realized just how much his son had grown up in the eleven years since he had left. He was a young man when he left, accustomed to wealth and privilege, but he had willingly given up everything for a vague fancy that his sister was in danger and had ended up on the edge of the galaxy because of it. Still, the experience seemed to have shaped him irrevocably. Never before had he dared challenge his parents in such a tone nor would he have even considered taking up a weapon. The people on the ship had certainly changed him, and Gabriel was not sure all the changes were positive.

"Just let me know if'n you change your mind."

Gabriel could no longer hold back the questions and rebukes, and they suddenly came pouring out his lips. "Simon, stop this madness at once! I will not sit here and pretend that nothing has happened, that we just casually met on the street and were invited for dinner. You are coming home with me, and that is final. You are leaving this ship and its influence. If you did find your sister, she is of course welcome as well, but you will go back to the hospital and you will become the doctor we helped you to be."

"We? There was no we, Father. The only thing you did was ignore River's cries for help while those alliance gou de erzi cut into her brain and experimented on her!"

"There was no indication she was actually in trouble, and you know it!"

"Mal?" a soft, feminine voice questioned. "Why are you still bleeding?" Gabriel glanced over briefly to see that Inara had joined them, staring curiously at the small group in the infirmary.

"Doc just had a few things he needed to work out with his parents before starting on me." Her eyes widened and traveled between Simon and Regan and Gabriel. It seemed that everyone on the ship knew about Simon's past. Everyone was silent for a few seconds, Simon glaring at Gabriel and Gabriel glaring right back. The other four people in the room seemed reluctant to interrupt their staring contest. Finally, Mal's voice broke the silence. "'Nara? I ever tell you how pretty you are? You're right pretty, no doubt 'bout it. Damn near take my breath away." His voice grew softer as he spoke.

"Mal!" his wife said, alarmed. Simon broke his stare, rushing to Mal's side, but his wife reached him first, grabbing onto him just as he fell unconscious.

"Get him to the table," Simon said, a command in his tone that Gabriel had never heard before. Together, he and Inara drug him to a nearby table, Kaylee hovering worriedly behind. After a few seconds of struggle, they managed to lay him on it, and Simon grabbed a nearby pair of scissors and cut open his shirt. He sucked in a breath when he saw the wound. "Why didn't you bring him in first? This wound is deep, and he's lost a lot of blood, probably more than he can afford to lose."

"You know Mal," Inara said, lips in a tight line. Apparently, Simon did, for he asked no further questions about the delays in treatment.

"He'll probably need a transfusion," Simon said, quickly removing his gloves and pulling on a new pair. Both Kaylee and Inara nodded. Kaylee began to roll up her sleeve, but the other woman stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.

"I've got this one," she assured the younger woman. Kaylee stepped back as Inara pushed up one of her flowing sleeves. Simon returned with a large pair of tweezers.

"Mother, you're finished, so you're free to go," he said without turning.

"Simon, you can't just tell me to leave! I haven't seen you in eleven years!"

Simon turned to her suddenly, anger written all over his face. "This man is dying, Mother. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let him do it on my watch." Shock registered on Regan's face, and she turned to Gabriel who was also at a loss for words. However, it appeared that none were needed, for Simon's attention had already returned to his patient. "I've got to get the bullet out. Inara?" She nodded, stepping forward and taking one of Mal's hands in her own. Her fingers gently caressed it as Simon pushed the tweezers into the hole in Mal's side. He came awake with a scream like no scream Gabriel had ever heard before. Regan's hand reached out and grabbed his. Both watched transfixed as Mal panted, his eyes roaming wildly about the room.

"It's okay, Mal. I'm right here," his wife soothed, her voice low and comforting. His eyes focused on hers, and Gabriel saw his hand squeeze tighter. "That's it, tianxin. Focus on me."

He nodded, his breathing starting to even out, but he suddenly sucked in another sharp breath as Simon's tweezer's dug deeper. "Gorramit, Doc, ain't you got any painkillers?"

"They won't work fast enough," Simon said coolly. "We need to get this bullet out of you and get this wound stitched up in the next few minutes or you're going to die."

"Heard that one before," Mal muttered. Simon ignored him, removing the tweezers with a grunt of triumph. Gabriel saw a bloody, twisted piece of metal clasped in them as he passed them to Kaylee. She already had a bowl and a large syringe ready for him, and Simon used the implements to clean out the wound. Mal hissed again as the saline struck the torn flesh, but Inara soothed him in hushed tones, and he quieted. Gabriel had to admit, he doubted he could take the pain as well as Mal had. Even with an analgesic, he had passed out the one time he needed stitches.

Simon passed the bowl back to Kaylee who handed him the first stitch which he used to begin to close the wound. Gabriel watched him work, fascinated by his confident actions. He had never seen Simon at work before, but he was rapidly realizing why he had managed to graduate at the top of his class. He was an extremely good doctor, and it seemed he could adapt to any circumstances, even using his wife as a scrub nurse and a companion in lieu of a painkiller.

In very little time, Simon had closed the gaping bullet wound. Mal had passed out again from the pain, but his wife still sat beside him, stroking his hand as she gazed at him. Even to Gabriel, who had never been much of a romantic, the love she had for the man lying on the table was quite clear. "You ready, Inara?" Simon asked softly, approaching her with a needle attached to some tubing.

"Shouldn't you close up the arm wound first?"

"It's not bleeding that much anymore, and I want to get more blood in him quickly. He lost too much, and if we don't correct that soon, there could be permanent damage."

"Thank God Mal's AB positive," Inara remarked, half-joking, as she extended her arm. Simon chuckled slightly as he carefully inserted the needle into her vein and then glanced up at the bag Kaylee had hung on an IV stand. Red droplets began to slowly drip into it. Satisfied, he carefully inserted a second needle into Mal's arm, sending the blood flowing through it. Kaylee stepped up behind him with a second bag containing a clear liquid, and he smiled in thanks as he placed it on the IV stand and attached it to the line going into Mal's flesh as well. It was a fascinating way to accommodate the lack of medical supplies on a ship such as the one on which they currently stood.

A comfortable silence had settled over Simon, Kaylee, and Inara as they worked, and they seemed to have forgotten about Gabriel and Regan's presence. As Simon carefully cut away the sleeve of Mal's shirt to reveal the knife wound, the woman from the cargo bay stepped into the doorway. "How's the captain doing? River's not really up to flyin' right now, so he's probably gonna have to pilot this boat if we wanna get off this rock. And his latest escapade has attracted some unwanted attention, so I'd like to make that sooner rather than later. Oh." Her eyes focused on Regan and Gabriel, registering surprise. "Somethin' go wrong?"

"The captain lost a lot more blood than he let on," Simon said.

The woman sighed. "Course he did." Her eyes remained on Regan and Gabriel, and he followed her gaze. With a short nod of acknowledgement, he introduced them.

"Zoe, meet my parents, Regan and Gabriel. Mother, Father, this is our first mate, Zoe."

"That explains River's outburst then."

"River's here? Can I see her?" Regan questioned.

"Don't know that it's the best time. Jayne and Trey got her calmed down and took her back to her bunk, but she ain't up for visitors right now. I'd wager a guess that even if she were, you two would be near the bottom of her list." Zoe's arms crossed in front of her defiantly.

"I got this Zoe," Simon said, glancing up from his stitches to meet Zoe's eyes. They stared at one another for a long moment before Zoe turned and left.

"You need me, you call me," she instructed. Simon did not respond, still focused on his task. When he finished, he passed the last needle back to Kaylee and stripped off his gloves.

"You okay here for a few minutes, Inara?" he questioned. She nodded absent-mindedly, stroking her husband's hair with the hand not giving blood. "Kaylee, you stay with Inara. Come find me if he wakes up or anything else changes about his condition."

"You sure you don't want-"

"Thank you, but this is something I need to do alone." Simon stood and turned to Regan and Gabriel. "Seems like we're stuck here for a little longer, so I suppose you'll get your talk. But I hope you're ready to listen as well." Regan nodded eagerly, willing to agree to anything that would let her see her children again. Gabriel hesitated for a moment, his mind warring between calling the Alliance and listening to his son. In the end, his son won out, and he helped his wife to her feet. They followed Simon out of the infirmary and to a small back room that someone had outfitted as a sitting area. Simon took a seat in the armchair and motioned for them to settle on the sofa across from him. Once they were settled, he took a deep breath. "Are you both ready to listen now?" Regan nodded immediately and, after a moment's hesitation, Gabriel did as well. "Okay. I'll tell you what's happened in the last eleven years. Fair warning, some of it will seem fantastical or possibly even downright crazy, but I swear that every bit of it is true." With that, he launched into his tale. Gabriel had to admit that he was exactly right—it did seem quite farfetched, but Simon spoke with such conviction and authority that Gabriel found himself unwillingly believing his son.

When Simon had finally finished, Regan spoke first. "That's all very good, dear, and I'm glad you found a way to help your sister and found some new friends, but you have to see that you belong with us. We're your family."

"No, Mother, this is my family. Serenity and the crew. The captain has been much more of a parent to me and to River than either of you ever were." Gabriel's eyebrows rose at that statement. The captain was still relatively young, likely only a few years older than Simon himself. The notion that he was playing the role of father to Gabriel's son seemed a bit farfetched.

"Simon, I'm your mother. And this is your father. I'm sure the captain is a very dear friend, and he will of course be welcomed at our house anytime," Gabriel snorted softly at that thought, "but I don't understand how you can think of him as your father. He's basically your age."

"He sheltered River and me when we had nowhere else to go. He took care of us, taught us how to be strong, to fight, to not give up. He's taken a bullet for me twice now and for River once."

"Seems fond of doing that," Gabriel muttered, remembering how they had first entered into the current situation. Simon rounded on him, fury in his eyes.

"Don't, Father. Mal is a good man, much better than you could ever hope to be. He understands what it means to truly care for someone, to be willing to lay your life on the line for another person. You may have raised me, but he taught me how to be a man. He taught me what it means to be a father. And I think God every day for that and plan to teach it to my own children."

"Simon, we love you, too! We care for you! We were devastated when you disappeared!"

"So devastated you decided to disown me and River to save your precious name?"

"We thought you were dead!"

"You just continue thinking that, Mother. I think it will be better for all of us." Regan turned to Gabriel, her eyes pleading, and he knew she was asking him to help bring their son back.

"Look, Simon, I understand you feel a loyalty to the crew, and that makes sense. Why don't you bring them over for dinner? All of them, even the children. It will be nice to have the dining room full."

Simon snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, Father, the Alliance is not a huge fan of River nor I. We can't just walk down the streets of a core planet."

"Then we'll come here!" Regan declared. "We can have dinner on the ship with you."

"Mother, we're leaving soon."

"Another time then."

"We don't know when we'll be back."

"Then wave us when you know." Simon snorted. "What?"

"Mother, I'm sure the Alliance has been monitoring your waves since we were first declared fugitives, hoping we'd make contact. If I wave you, we all end up in jail."

"Then we'll come with you." Gabriel's eyes widened at his wife's words. There was no way he was leaving on the ship with the crew. Not only did it look as if it could barely lift off the ground, but he was sure he was already complicit in all manner of criminal activity just by being on the ship. "We can stop back by the house and pick up some clothes and be back in no time."

"I don't think that's a good idea either," Simon said, his eyes moving to his father's face, taking in the older man's expression.

"Let them," a voice said from the doorway. Gabriel looked up to see a young woman standing there, her brown hair hanging loose around her face and her feet bare. Though it had been fourteen years since he last saw her, he knew immediately that it was his daughter.

"River, I really don't know that you should be here," Simon said, standing and moving to his sister's side. She shook his hand off her shoulder.

"They come, they stay for a week, maybe two. Then they fly away. Not the place for them."

"What's wrong with her?" Gabriel asked, noting River's somewhat broken speech.

Simon bristled. "Nothing is wrong with her. Your precious Alliance cut into her brain and experimented on her. She's healed considerably over the last eleven years, no thanks to you, but I don't think your presence here has helped."

"The mother bird wants to see her hatchlings, to make sure they can fly on their own. The father bird doesn't care, but he'll pretend. Always pretending," River babbled.

"River, mei mei, go back with Trey and Zoe. I'll be in soon."

"Let them stay, Simon," River said, her eyes surprisingly lucid as she looked at her brother.

"I don't think the Captain would be too pleased," Simon remarked.

"I can handle the Captain."

"I'm sure you can, mei mei, but he's hurt right now so it's not the best time."

"He'll be better soon. Inara's with him."

"Mei mei-"

"They stay, Simon," she said firmly. The siblings stared at one another for a moment before Simon sighed and turned to face his parents.

"If you still want to stay, Mother, it seems you can," he remarked. Regan's face lit up with delight, and with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Gabriel wondered what they were getting themselves into.


	5. Constancy (May 2528)

_Follows Chance Encounters_

 **Constancy (May 2528)**

Cayson Reynolds may have been only four (nearly five) years old, but he could still sense the tension around the dinner table that night. He knew it had something to do with the two new people on board Serenity, people that Karina claimed were her grandparents. She had explained to Davis and Cayson that they were only hers and Davis' though, no one else's, because they were Uncle Simon's and Aunt River's parents. Though Karina was an insufferable know-it-all most of the time, Cayson had to admit that they did look quite similar to Aunt River and Uncle Simon, so it was certainly possible. Whoever they were, however, no one except Karina seemed to like them much, even Simon. That puzzled Cayson who thought everyone loved his parents. He certainly loved his.

The woman spent most of the dinner talking with Karina who was simply happy with the attention. Uncle Simon and the man glared at each other for most of dinner, and Aunt Zoe and Uncle Trey did as well. Uncle Jayne, as usual, mostly ignored the tension though Cayson thought he caught a glimpse of his glare from time to time, too. Aunt Prudence and Aunt Kaylee attempted to make small talk and dispel some of the tension, but the others rebuffed their attempts, and they fell silent. Aunt River entered the room about halfway through dinner, seeming oblivious to the tension. She gave her parents a single glance before moving to the kitchen to serve herself food. "We're three days from the drop," she announced. "Course is set already."

"'Preciate it, River," Aunt Zoe said, her eyes not leaving the strange man.

"Could make it two, but Alliance ships are in the way."

"An extra day is fine if it means avoiding the Alliance," Aunt Zoe agreed.

"They'll be gone soon. No use getting upset," Aunt River announced, sinking into a seat between Toby and Rose. Rose immediately began to ask questions about the ship, always eager to learn more. Though only nine, she had already declared an intention of becoming a pilot like her father.

Aunt Zoe finished dinner early and stood. "Think I'll go relieve Inara for a bit," she announced.

"Make her come and eat something," Uncle Simon said. "She gave nearly a pint and a half of blood to Mal before he stabilized, so she's probably not feeling all that well." Aunt Zoe nodded in agreement and left the room.

"Mom's hurt, too?" Rick questioned.

"Your mother's fine," Aunt Kaylee soothed. "She just went a little overboard in helping your dad." He nodded, accepting that explanation. There was nothing new about that.

"Baba's going to be okay, too, right?" Aanya questioned.

"Your father will be fine. He's just stubborn." Cayson turned to the source of the voice and smiled when he saw his mother standing in the doorway. She looked a bit tired, but otherwise she seemed perfectly healthy, giving credence to Aunt Kaylee's assurances that she would be okay. He knew his father would be as well. Cayson could always rely on the constancy of his father's strength. He had been shot or otherwise wounded many times in Cayson's short life, but he always bounced back quickly, rarely staying in the infirmary more than two or three days. Cayson hoped that one day, he would be as strong as his father, able to take a bullet for his family and keep on fighting, bringing six separate men down. His father was Cayson's hero, the one man Cayson believed could do anything.

"How're you holding up, Inara?" Aunt Kaylee asked.

"I'm fine. Just wishing my husband would be a little less bullheaded. I'm glad he at least consented to painkillers." She moved to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of tea. Uncle Simon glared at her as she walked toward the table.

"You need to eat, Inara."

"I'm not hungry."

"It doesn't matter. You lost a lot of blood today, too. You need to eat to regain your strength."

"Please, Mom, listen to him," Ben pleaded. Inara looked at her oldest son and sighed before returning to the kitchen to grab a plate of food. Ben caught Cayson's eye and smiled. When one of their parents was hurt, the other tended to forget to take care of himself or herself. The Reynolds children had become experts at ensuring that did not happen.

Though the conversation was still stilted due to the presence of strangers, dinner was not overly unpleasant. Afterwards, the kids all scattered in different directions, hoping that the distractions of the day might let their parents forget silly things such as bedtimes. As he often did when he had nothing else to do, Cayson wandered the ship, and his feet soon brought him to the infirmary. He started to enter, hoping his father was awake and talking. Often, the drugs that Uncle Simon gave him after he was hurt made him a bit loopy, and it was always funny to talk with him in that state.

However, Cayson stopped at the door, noting that though his father was awake, his mother was sitting beside him already, and he did not want to interrupt their hushed conversation. In addition to his father's strength, his parents' love had always been a constant in Cayson's life. They loved each other and their children and their ship and crew completely. And as much as their parents' displays of affection sickened the Reynolds children, it was comforting to know that they had two parents who loved one another.

On this particular occasion, Cayson's mother was leaning over his father where he lay on the infirmary bed, one hand clasping his and the other gently caressing his cheek. She said something which caused him to chuckle and then wince with pain. A crooked smile appeared on her face as well as she made a second comment. Though Cayson could not hear his mother's words, he did hear his father's response. "I love you, too, tianxin. More than I ever thought possible. And I'm grateful every day for all you have given me." He raised his head slightly, and Cayson's mother leaned down to kiss him. Suppressing a sound of disgust, Cayson turned away. He had, unfortunately, seen where kissing could lead when he grew too curious, and though he did not understand exactly what was happening (despite asking a number of the crew members), he had decided he never wanted to see that again.

Unfortunately, the kids' freedom was short-lived. With Cayson's parents in the infirmary and Uncle Simon preoccupied with his parents, it fell to Aunt Kaylee, Aunt Zoe, and Uncle Jayne to put the kids to bed, an experience none of them minded. Uncle Jayne always had the best stories, and he did not censor them like some of the other adults did. In addition, he was quite gullible, and it was generally easy to talk him into a few extra minutes of stories.

In the end, they did all finally climb into their own beds, and Rick and Ben fell asleep quickly. They always had, and the period between when they fell asleep and when Cayson succumbed to slumber had always been one of Cayson's favorite times. He enjoyed lying in his bunk and listening to their quiet breathing above him and feeling the hum of Serenity's engines beneath him. As the youngest, he had the bottom bunk of the three-bunk stack, but he did not mind. He liked lying so close to the ground where he could feel what Aunt Kaylee called the heartbeat of the ship, the low, soothing hum that indicated that Serenity was still moving, taking them somewhere new and exciting. Serenity was the third constant in his life. He loved sitting in the engine room with Aunt Kaylee, watching her work (and even helping with some of the simpler tasks). His mother always claimed he had his father's wanderlust, and that was probably true because he liked nothing better than to be flying, no matter the destination. He already knew that he wanted to continue to fly for the rest of his life, to feel the hum of the ship beneath his feet and hear the steady heartbeat in his head. It was his destiny.

His father's strength, his parents' love, and Serenity had all shaped Cayson in different ways, had helped him to grow and learn during his short lifetime. He knew they would continue to shape him as well. They were his constants, his touchstones, the beacons he looked to in the dark. And no matter what, he trusted those beacons to keep shining.


	6. Fathers (May 2528)

_Follows Chance Encounters and Constancy_

 **Fathers (May 2528)**

Simon sat at the dining room table with his parents and River, staring stonily ahead. After five days on the ship, he could tell his father was starting to get restless, and his mother seemed upset that he was not talking to her despite his assertions that he had nothing to say to them. She was persistent, however, and she had extracted a promise at dinner that they would sit and talk that night. He had reluctantly agreed at the time after Kaylee wisely pointed out, "Least you still got parents. Mine died 'fore I came on this ship. I wish I could go back and spend more time with them. You've got a chance."

Now, however, he was wishing he could take back his promise. They had spent twenty minutes simply staring at one another. Finally, his mother broke the silence. "So, what is it you do?"

"Same thing I did before. I'm a doctor. I help out the crew when they're injured or sick and also help out on some of the outer moons and planets we visit." Of course, there were more bullet and knife wounds on Serenity than Simon had seen in all his years of medicine before joining the crew, but he was not going to tell his mother that.

"But what does the rest of the crew do?"

"Odd jobs mostly," Simon said. "We do a lot of transport on the border moons. Not many people want to fly out there, so we get steady business."

"Is that what you were doing on Osiris?"

"Yes, we were picking up some goods to deliver." In truth, they were stealing some surplus Alliance goods that the outer moons desperately needed. With few transports to the planets and the exorbitant Alliance taxes, most moons could not afford many of the things that people on the Core planets took for granted. Mal reasoned that it was only fair to even out the distribution of goods, and over the years, Simon had come to believe him. It was not exactly Robin Hood's stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, for they did sell the goods but at a fraction of the cost.

"I couldn't help but notice that the crew is quite heavily armed. Do you come across much trouble in your. . . transport?" his father asked. Simon turned to him with a glare. It was clear that Gabriel Tam knew exactly what the crew of Serenity was up to even if his wife was happily oblivious. Simon was actually somewhat surprised he had not yet called the Alliance, but he supposed that deep down, his father did harbor at least a little affection for his children.

"The border moons can be. . . rough," Simon said half-truthfully.

"Is it really good to get involved in this trade then?" his mother worried. "Especially with your children. And your sister, too."

"I like the border planets," River declared. "Fun people, fun places. They're always different."

"I'm sure you do, Honey, but I think you would like your home at Osiris as well."

"No. Can't go back now. Too many things happened. Miranda happened." The last words were whispered, and River's eyes took on a faraway look. She rarely spoke about the events that occurred on Miranda, even eleven years later. Simon was not too surprised, for it had been a traumatic experience for them all even if it had brought about the best thing in his life.

"Who's Miranda, Honey?" his mother questioned, reaching out to touch her daughter. As soon as her hand touched River's shoulder, River jerked back.

"No!" she screamed. "No, no, no! They're dead! All dead! Just lying there, calm as can be. But not breathing. Not breathing anymore. Women and children and everyone. Just dead!" Her voice had grown frantic, getting louder with each word. Her screams echoed around the small dining hall, and Simon was sure that others on the ship could hear them as well.

"River, Honey, what's going on?" Simon's mother stood to approach her daughter, but River pushed her chair back with a clatter and stood as well.

"Stay away! She brings death. Only death. No life, no hope. Just death." She held her hands in front of her as a shield, and Simon's mother dropped her hand to her side, staring at her daughter in confusion. Simon, more accustomed to his sister's outbursts, stood and approached.

"River, mei mei, it's okay. Miranda's over," he soothed. "We found the truth. We showed it to the world. You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"We do. It's not over. It's never over. They're out there, still hunting." Her eyes were wild as they searched the room. They landed on her father, and she pointed at him. "Answers with him. He knows, knows more than he says. Brings death. Didn't see it before. Don't know why I didn't see it. Harder to see now. The medicine makes River calmer, but it stops her from seeing clearly. Muddy water. And a rock, it ripples. Disturbs the water, makes it difficult to look."

"River, you're talking nonsense," Simon's mother said, approaching her again after seeing her son had some success. "Your father is a good man. He wouldn't hurt you, and I won't either."

"No!" River's screams were deafening, and even Simon's pleas for her to calm down had no effect. "No, no, no!" She let out a blood curdling scream just as Mal walked in to the room. Simon's eyebrows rose as he noted that his torso and feet were bare.

"What in the suoyou zhege mingzi shi shensheng de is going on here?" he questioned, shouting so he could be heard over the noise. "We got eight children that I finally managed to get to sleep, and if her screamin' wakes them up, I'm gonna be a mite displeased."

"Sorry, Captain, I don't know what happened," Simon said, still reaching for River. "She started talking about Miranda and then just started screaming."

Simon watched Mal's lips tighten at the mention of Miranda. He nodded in understanding before approaching River. He placed a hand on each of her shoulders; surprisingly, she did not shy away but instead brought her eyes up to meet his. Simon noted that his parents were watching the exchange with interest, obviously curious about her trust in the large man before them after her rejection of them. "Albatross, come back to me now," Mal said, his voice low and soothing. "We're not there anymore. We're on Serenity now, deep in space. This is our territory. And I've got eight youngins who I'd appreciate stayin' asleep." River nodded, her scream dying away as she took in a deep breath. "That's it," Mal said, still holding her shoulders. "Breathe in deep. Nice and deep, Albatross."

"Children are sleeping?"

"That they are, and I want them to stay that way."

"River should sleep. You told me that sleep can solve many problems. Because when you wake up, it's a new day." She smiled at him, and he gave a half smile in return.

"Hmm, I must've been waxin' more philosophical than usual."

"Sing."

"Shenme?"

"Sing. When a mother wants her child to sleep, she sings to her. A lullaby."

"I could sing to you, River," her mother offered, stepping closer.

"No!" River stepped closer to Mal, using his body to block her mother. "Daddy sings."

Simon's father cleared his throat. "River, I'm not sure-"

"Not you," she snapped, interrupting. "Daddy." She smiled at Mal, making her meaning clear. She had called him "Daddy" a few times in the past, mostly when she was in one of her less lucid states. He generally protested the name, pointing out that he was much too young to be her father, but River persisted in her usual stubborn manner. Ever since her parents had boarded the ship, River had begun to refer to Mal as "Daddy" almost exclusively. Simon suspected she was simply doing it to irk them. Mal seemed to realize as well, for he had stopped protesting the name.

"I ain't no good at singin'." Mal insisted.

"You're not bad either," Inara remarked, entering the dining hall. She wore a loose kimono which was falling off of one shoulder, leaving a large patch of skin bare. Simon pressed the back of his hand to his mouth as he realized precisely what River's scream had interrupted. He was not overly surprised. Mal had complained about his and Kaylee's relationship, but the truth of the matter was that he and Inara were far worse. Once they admitted their feelings for one another, it was like a dam broke, and the water was still flowing. Simon had gotten an eyeful more than once, generally in the most unlikely places. Kaylee claimed it was sweet, but he simply wanted to scream at them to get a room. At least he and Kaylee had the decency to remain in the privacy of their bunk or, on rare occasions, the engine room with the doors locked.

"I don't want-"

"Just sing, Mal. It will help calm her down." After exchanging a look with his wife, Mal turned back to River who smiled encouragingly. Clearing his throat, he began to sing. Though he would not be winning any awards, Simon was surprised to realize he could actually carry a tune, and his deep baritone made his voice quite pleasant.

"I was born on a moon at the edge of the verse

Only boy in a family of five

Pa died ten years later and things then just got worse

We struggled to stay alive

But I won't forget the last thing he said

His push for my solemn vow

To take care of my family as the head

For I had become a man now

Some years later the Alliance started pushin' in

Takin what belonged to us

So I kissed my mother and my sisters then

And left to be the man that I was

My coat may be brown and my gun a mite old

My face may be smooth and round

But I'm a good soldier, I do what I'm told

And take the Alliance down"

The song continued in much the same vein for three more verses. It was not a lullaby by any stretch of the imagination; likely, it was an old Independence war tune, but it seemed to have the desired effect. River's eyelids started to droop, and by the final verse, she was leaning heavily against Mal, her breathing deep and even. "Do you want me-" Simon started, but Mal interrupted.

"I got her, Doc." He lifted her easily into his arms, her head pillowed on one arm and her legs dangling over the other. He winced slightly as he started to move, and Simon stepped forward to help, conscious of his injury, but he shook his head. As Simon moved away, his mother approached instead, but a single glare from Mal caused her to back away as well. With her out of the way, he strode quickly from the room.

"Simon, are you sure she's okay? Maybe we should check on her."

"She's fine, Mother. It's just been a stressful time."

"Which just means she needs her family all the more. Captain Reynolds-"

"He'll take care of her, Mother. He takes care of his crew."

His mother glanced suspiciously at Inara and then back at the door. "Are you sure we should leave him alone with her? River is a lovely girl, and I've seen how she looks at him. I think she has a bit of a crush on him." His mother's gaze moved back to Inara who was staring coolly at her, arms crossed in front of her. The low cut of the kimono exposed enough of her breasts that Simon's father's eyes had not left her, and even Simon, who was happily married to a beautiful woman, felt his heart race a bit faster. "And no offense to the captain, but it would be quite easy for him to take advantage of a willing girl who doesn't know any better while alone in her bunk."

"River doesn't have a crush on Mal," Inara declared firmly.

"I know he's your husband, dear, and I'm sure he's very devoted, but I know young women, and I've seen the way she looks at him."

"She looks at him like she loves him. Which she does. He's the closest person she has to a father out here, and he treats her like a daughter."

"River has a father," Simon's father protested, standing and approaching Inara, rage contorting his features. "I'm growing very tired of all you people acting as if you are somehow better than us. You're smugglers, all of you. Common criminals. You live in a rundown spaceship on the edge of the galaxy. You're all going to get yourselves killed, and I'm not going to see children of mine go down with you."

"We stopped being your children the minute you disowned us!" Simon shouted.

"I disowned you because you were acting crazy!"

"Pipe down, the lot of you," Mal demanded, re-entering the room and stepping between Simon's father and Inara. He glared at the other man for a moment until he stepped back. Simon noted that Mal's features had hardened, and he radiated a cold fury that Simon had rarely seen. Something had changed during the time that Mal had carried River to her bunk. He had never liked Simon's parents, but he had still tolerated them on his ship and had even stopped threatening them. Now, however, he looked ready to throw them out the airlock. "Sit," he instructed.

"I don't take orders from you."

"When you're on my ship, you do. Sit." Simon's father stared at the irate man a couple seconds more before deciding it would be in his best interest to sit. Simon was not surprised. Over the years, he had seen Mal intimidate men far larger and better armed than his father. In his current mood, Simon would not want to cross Mal for all the money in the verse. "Seems to me we have a bit of a problem," Mal said, his voice unnaturally calm as he paced in front of the table. "You see, River kept talking about betrayal. Got me thinkin'. I been flyin' with most of this crew more'n a decade now. Trust 'em with my life. Doubt they would betray me. So that only leaves a coupla options." His gaze fell on Simon's father, and Simon felt his own rage boil in his stomach as he realized that Mal had interpreted River's ramblings correctly. He was surprised he had not seen it before, but he was so intent on calming River that he had failed to consider her words.

"You didn't. . ." Simon began, the words trailing off.

"You can't prove anything," his father objected.

"Go search his room, Simon."

"Simon, don't you dare," his father warned.

"Go." Simon stared at the captain for a moment, worried about what might transpire while he was out of the room. Mal seemed to sense his fears, for he shook his head. "I won't hurt him 'til we figure out for sure what happened. Now go." Simon nodded and left, ignoring his father's protests. He entered their room in the passenger quarters, feeling a bit like an intruder, but he quickly squashed that feeling and moved to their bags. It did not take him long to find the com tucked in between a couple shirts. A quick search of recent waves provided all the proof Simon needed. With a growl of rage, he stormed out of the room and back to the dining room. He found the four people there in much the same position he left them in, Mal standing over his parents, his arms crossed with Inara beside him, a hand on his shoulder. His father returned Mal's stare, but his mother simply looked confused.

"Found it," Simon announced, holding up the com. Mal nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Simon was not finished. "Shenme shi diyu were you thinking, Father?" he shouted. "You waved the Alliance? There's a bounty on our heads! You're going to get us killed! And not just us either, but the rest of the crew."

"They won't kill you. They might put these criminals in jail where they belong, but I have friends in high places, Simon. I'll get you out."

Simon shook his head, his mouth open slightly in disbelief. "No you won't, Father. Your connections won't save me. More likely, they'll just throw you in jail as well."

"Simon, these people are criminals! They will get what they deserve!"

Simon scoffed. "What they deserve? What about the children? Did you ever think of what will happen to them? Or are they just getting what they deserve?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Ta ma di diyu, Father, did you even stop to think about the consequences? These people saved my life, multiple times. They've saved River's life. They've sheltered us, provided for us, kept us from the Alliance. And you throw that away with one ta ma de sha decision."

"There's nothing to throw away here, Simon. Don't you see?"

"Oh, I see plenty," Mal said, his voice low and threatening. "I see a man so blinded by fortune and fame that he turns his back on his own family when they threaten that." He stepped closer to Simon's father, leaning forward so he spoke directly in his face. "I've killed many men in my day, you know. And most of 'em did nothin' to me or mine."

"Are you threatening to kill me?"

"I'm tellin' you that if the Alliance catches up to us, you're gonna wish I killed you." Mal straightened and turned away from Simon's father. "'Nara, go get Jayne. Have him take Mr. Tam here to one of the passenger bunks and lock him in there. Tell him he can use the handcuffs. As for Mrs. Tam," he paused to search Simon's mother's frightened face, "she likely doesn't know anything 'bout this." Inara nodded, sweeping out of the room. "Simon, you okay to finish searching the room?"

"It would be my pleasure, Captain," Simon said.

"Good. You do that and then get Kaylee to take a look at that com. See if'n you can figure out what information he sent." Simon nodded and started toward the door. "Mrs. Tam, please go with him as well," Mal said, his voice still soft.

"I don't know-" she stammered.

"Go." Mal's voice was cold, and Simon's mother stood with a strangled cry and left the room. Simon followed her out, glancing back a final time to see Mal reach out and grab his father by his expensive coat, slamming him back against the table. Simon had a brief flashback to their first meeting when Mal had accused him of bringing the Alliance onto their ship and inadvertently hurting Kaylee in the process. Mal had been angry then, but it was different than the white-hot fury he displayed now. It almost made Simon feel sorry for his father.

Almost.


	7. Family Ties (My 2528)

**Family Ties (May 2528)**

Mal sat in the copilot's chair, cursing under his breath as he fiddled with the ship's computer. He considered calling Kaylee, but he needed her working to figure out just what the elder Tam had sent in his wave. She also claimed that she was no good with computers, that machines were more her thing. Of course, if she was not good, that made Mal downright horrible with them.

Soft sounds alerted him to the presence of someone else, and he made an educated guess. "Know anything 'bout computers, 'Nara?" he asked without turning.

"Not particularly. What are you doing, Mal?"

He sighed and turned to face his wife. "Tryin' to scramble our signal as best as I can. Already pulled out the pulse beacon so they can't find us that way. Now I'm just tryin' to figure out the best way to get our EM signal scrambled so they can't track it."

"You know that means that if something happens, we won't be able to direct anyone to help us."

"Well, I don't plan on having anything happenin' that would necessitate rescue." He turned his attention back to the computer, releasing another string of swear words as it simply blinked unhelpfully. "Gorram thing should come with a manual." Inara stepped up behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder. Her fingers slowly began to squeeze, kneading his tense muscles, and he let his eyes slide shut in pleasure. He loved how well his wife knew him, how easily she could discern his mood and find the perfect way to cheer him. In addition, the massage felt heavenly as her fingers sought out muscles he had not even realized were tensed. "God, that feels amazin', bao bei," he muttered.

"You need to relax, tianxin." He simply mumbled slightly in reply. His hands slid off the computer controls and his head fell forward. Her hands moved downward further, massaging the muscles of his shoulders. His whole body began to relax under her touch, and he focused on the sensations. After a few minutes, he had scooted to the edge of the chair, allowing her to reach to his lower back. Her questing fingers continued to dip lower, and he felt himself beginning to grow hard as they pressed on some sensitive portions of his anatomy.

"Qin ai de, I'm very much enjoyin' myself, but I should probably be gettin' back to this computer before I decide to scrap the whole plan."

"What makes you think that wasn't my goal?" she said, whispering directly in his ear. Her words sent shivers down his spine, and he was seriously considering carrying her back to the shuttle or, better yet, bending her over the dash when a small voice interrupted.

"What's goin' on, Baba?" Cay questioned. Mal turned with a groan and saw all three of his sons standing in the doorway of the flight deck, watching them curiously.

"What are you all doing out of bed?" Inara questioned, letting her hands slide off Mal's body. He missed the contact instantly.

"I heard Aunt River scream. We all did. We tried to get back to sleep, but we couldn't, so I wanted to see if she was okay. What's going on?" Ben questioned.

"Nothing," Mal told them. "You boys should be in bed."

"Dad, we're not stupid. We know something's going on," Rick said. "Uncle Simon and Aunt River's father did something, didn't he? I saw Uncle Jayne dragging him back to the bunk, and he was bleeding. Looks like he got beat up." Mal did his best to keep his expression neutral, half-wishing he had not been blessed with such intelligent, observant children. He had roughed Gabriel up more than he had initially intended, but he did not regret his actions. The man would live which was far more than Mal felt he deserved after what he had done. He found it hard to believe that a man could be so self-centered that he would willingly put everyone on the ship in danger, including his own children and grandchildren. Looking at the three boys in front of him, Mal felt his heart expand in ways he had not believed possible until he had become a father. He would willingly die for any of his children. Gabriel Tam had likely consigned his to death.

"You three need to stop spying on people," Inara admonished.

"We're not children anymore," Ben protested. "We can handle whatever happened."

"What are you doing with the computer?" Rick asked, stepping closer, his head cocked to the side. Before Mal could answer, he continued, "If you want to scramble the signal, you don't want to do this step." He pointed to a line on the screen. Mal stared at him, incredulous, and he shrugged. "I like computers. They make sense. Aunt Kaylee lets me play with them sometimes."

"How did you know what I was tryin' to do?"

Rick pointed at the pulse beacon sitting on the dash. "Not many reasons for you to take out the pulse beacon. Figured you didn't want anyone followin' us."

"So you know how these things work?" Mal tapped the computer. Rick rolled his eyes.

"Scoot over, Dad." Mal did as he asked, watching in amazement as Rick's small fingers began to fly over the keys, quickly erasing some mistaken commands and adding others. In less than twenty minutes, he looked back up at the other four people in the flight deck. "It's done."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Mal nodded, frowning at the screen. He was not quite sure how to tell that it was working, but Rick seemed very confident in his work. He would watch for the night just in case.

"You three should be getting back to bed," Mal instructed, standing to shoo his sons from the room.

"I don't think we'll be able to sleep," Ben objected. "Too much is happening."

"Can we stay here with you?" Cayson turned to his parents, his lower lip jutting out in a pout and his blue eyes wide. Of their four children, he was the only one to inherit his father's lighter-colored hair as well as many of his father's other features. They may have called Ben "Little Mal," but Inara often told Mal that Cayson looked the most like him, and Mal certainly agreed.

Ben, however, shared his father's stubborn personality. "It will be safer here with you," he said.

"How do you know I'm not going to bed?"

Ben scoffed. "Please, Dad." Mal glanced at Inara who simply shrugged. Mal relented.

"Okay, you can stay. But I'm going to go get some blankets, and you're going to at least lie down and try to sleep." The kids cheered, perfectly content with that compromise. They had spent a number of nights sleeping on the flight deck, mostly when Mal was feeling particularly accommodating though he had to admit that he enjoyed having them close as well. It seemed much less lonely sitting in the captain's chair when he could hear their steady breathing behind him.

An hour later, all three boys were fast asleep, lying together on some old blankets that Mal had placed in the corner of the room. Inara had decided to stay as well, curling up on Mal's lap as she dozed. Mal, however, could not find the same peace. It had always been difficult for him to sleep when he was worried, and as much as he tried not to show it, he was very worried about the message Gabriel Tam might have sent. Kaylee had stopped by the flight deck a few minutes before to let him know that she and Simon had been unable to determine what he had sent. Mal thought he would have Rick take a look at the device the following day, but for the time being, he wanted to let his son sleep. He looked so young sandwiched between his brothers, his dark curls sticking slightly to his forehead. He _was_ still so young. At only seven, he would have been in primary school had they lived planetside. As it was, he had already seen more than most did in a lifetime. It made Mal wonder sometimes if he was doing the right thing for his children. Perhaps they would be better off if he settled down, bought a piece of land, did some honest work. Perhaps they would be better off if they could live some semblance of normal lives, lives which were not fraught with worry about whether they would be arrested or see their father killed. It would be easier for them surely.

The sound of footsteps behind him interrupted his thoughts, and he spun around, careful not to wake his sleeping wife. "Mrs. Tam? What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to speak with you for a few minutes." He nodded shortly.

She stared at him for a few seconds until he grumbled irritably, "Speak then."

"I know I don't have any right to be asking you anything, but I hope that you will consider showing some mercy to my husband. He's not from your world; he didn't know what he was doing."

"Feihua, he knew exactly what he was doing. But I don't plan on killin' nobody."

"Thank you. I greatly appreciate it."

"I didn't do it for you. No child deserves to have his or her father taken before his time, no matter the circumstances." Mal started to turn back, thinking the conversation had finished, but she spoke again.

"Speaking of children, what are your plans for Simon and River?"

"Way I see it, they're both adults. They can make their own plans."

"They respect you. They will do what you ask them to do."

"And what exactly are you askin' me to ask them?"

"Have them come back with us! We'll protect them, keep them safe. This isn't the kind of life I wanted for them. Simon should be in a hospital on a Core planet, and River. . . well, River can do anything she sets her mind to."

"It ain't my decision. It's theirs. But I do wish you and your husband would get it in your heads that there ain't no way either of those two can go back to livin' life in the spotlight ever again, even if you knew the President of the Alliance hisself. They have bounties on their heads—large ones."

"But they're my children! I love them! Surely you see that." Her voice had grown slightly louder, and Mal shot her a look of admonishment, glancing first at Inara and then at the sleeping boys. She quieted sheepishly.

"I s'pose there is another option that would let you do that."

"What?"

"Stay with us. Accommodations won't be as nice as you're used to, but we're mobile."

"And Gabe?"

Mal's eyes darkened. "I can't have a man who betrayed me on my ship. We'll drop him off at the nearest planet with transport back to the core."

"I can't do that. I can't leave him behind."

"Don't see why not. He betrayed you, too."

"Captain Reynolds, do you love your wife?" Mal felt his ears grow a bit hotter, and he didn't answer. Though Inara had managed to convince him that public displays of affection were acceptable, he was still not a man to express his feelings in public. Even in private, he tended to be a bit more tight-lipped. He did love Inara, loved her more than he had ever loved anyone else, but it was not something he often admitted. "Never mind, I can see you do," Regan continued. "I've seen it the whole time we've been here in the way you look at her. I can tell you love your children, too. So you'll understand when I say that I can't make a choice between them."

"Your husband made that choice for you when he flagged the gorram Alliance."

"He loves his children, too."

"Sure has a funny way of showin' it."

"When River was growing up, she used to have terrible nightmares. The doctors thought it might be a consequence of her overactive brain. But she'd come into our room three or four nights a week crying about her latest dream. When she woke up, she was inconsolable except by her father. She would look up at him, and he would take her in his arms, and she would fall asleep in minutes."

"There a point to this?"

"She had the same look today when she looked at you. It just took me some time to recognize it for what it was." Regan sighed, her fingers playing with one of clipboards hanging by the door. "That's why I'm asking you. I just want to see my children."

Mal sighed, giving in. "I'll find some way to notify you whenever we're on Core planets nearby. And in return, I simply ask that you don't let your husband know. And it's still Simon and River's choice if they wanna see you."

"Do I have your word?"

"Sure. For whatever it's worth."

"Oh, I think it's worth a great deal." She turned but paused midstep. "Drop us at the next planet."

"That would be Corona. Should have you there in two, three days tops. Ain't a Core planet but has plenty of tourist ships to Core Planets." She seemed slightly more lighthearted as she left the room, a new spring her steps. Mal watched her go before glancing over at his boys and then down at his wife. He could not even fathom how a man could betray his own family. Mal would die for any person on the ship. He would not even have to think twice about it. Gabriel Tam may have had more money and prestige than Mal, but Mal thought that at the end of the day, he was truly the richer of the two.


	8. May Old Acquaintances Be Forgot

**May Old Acquaintances Be Forgot (December 2521)**

Atherton Wing sipped the expensive champagne and glanced around the room carefully, planning his next encounter. A couple children ran by, and he shuddered as they came too close. He simply could not understand why Lady Braxton would encourage parents to bring them, for a ballroom was no place for children. If it were any other party, the thought of a roomful of children would have kept him away, but Lady Braxton's ball would be the perfect place to continue his schmoozing, for every high born citizen on the planet was present. If Atherton were lucky, he would be able to leave the party with a few new business cards that would keep him in the lavish lifestyle he enjoyed for many years to come.

His eyes stopped roaming suddenly, and he nearly spit out his drink as he caught sight of a familiar figure. She had her back turned to him, but she was nevertheless unmistakable. Atherton had run his hands over her graceful curves many times, had seen her without the beautiful gown she was currently wearing. He knew every inch of her body. Inara Serra had returned to Persephone.

Of course, Atherton could no longer think of Inara without remembering her last betrayal, a betrayal with a petty thief no less. His blood boiled at the memory. She had kept to her word, had blacklisted him with the Guild, leaving him to seek the company of women not associated with that particular governing body. Though the experiences had been pleasurable enough, they could not compare to the experience with a true Companion, and Atherton still hated Inara for forcing his hand. He wanted nothing more than to see her suffer for what she had done, to cast her out of her precious Guild as she had done to him. But first, he would claim her body for his own.

A plan forming in his mind, he approached her, letting a wide smile spread over his face. "Inara," he greeted. "What brings you back to Persephone?"

She turned to face him, her eyes narrowed, but he barely recognized the anger in her look as his eyes landed on her rounded stomach. She caught his gaze and smirked slightly. "I simply could not miss the Braxton Ball," she said.

"So you were invited as well?"

"I was. I must say, I did not expect to see you here, however." Atherton's blood boiled at the implication, and he wished he had brought a woman to the ball if only to put the Companion in her place, to prove that he did not need her help finding a date for a fancy ball.

"I come every year," he said smoothly. "I suppose congratulations are in order. Or is it my condolences?" He glanced pointedly at her stomach.

"Congratulations, thank you," she said.

"Is the father around?"

"That is none of your business."

"So how did the Guild take the news of your. . . situation?" Atherton knew that the Guild did not take kindly to pregnant Companions. They strove to prevent such an occurrence, for it led to messy complications. They hated messes. It was why Atherton much preferred Companions to his current company. Sure, they were more expensive, but the safety of the Guild made it well worth the price.

"Also none of your business."

"But you are retired, I assume?" She turned away, refusing to answer him. Undeterred, he stepped into her line of vision again. "Tell me, Inara, how did it happen? Surely a talented and experienced Companion such as yourself can prevent unwanted occurrences."

"I never said it was unwanted."

"Oh?" That statement intrigued Atherton. He could not conceive of a situation where a Companion would want a child. "So I take it the father is involved?"

Before Inara could answer, a male voice joined them. "'Nara, I know you said we had to come to this shindig, but I was hopin' we could leave a mite early. The boys have already fallen asleep, and I've had enough small talk to last a coupla lifetimes." Atherton's eyes narrowed as he recognized the man as none other than Malcolm Reynolds, the ruffian who had helped Inara ruin him years before. He carried two boys, both fast asleep and draped over his shoulders. The oldest could not have been older than three. Atherton's shock transformed into complete disbelief when he saw them. Though he had sensed something between the two when they first met, he had attributed it to unresolved sexual tension. He never dreamed it would evolve into the two procreating so rapidly.

"Malcolm Reynolds." Mal's attention moved from his wife to Atherton, and Atherton was pleased to see his fists clench where they rested on his sons' backs.

"Ath. What are you doing here?"

"I was invited. And you? Hoping to turn this into a barroom brawl?"

"Mal is here with me," Inara said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He visibly relaxed under her touch though he still stared daggers at Atherton. "The invitation told me to bring my family, so I thought it only appropriate that I attend with my husband and sons."

Atherton choked a bit on the sip of champagne he had taken. "Husband?"

Mal smirked. "Three years next April."

"So you got her pregnant and forced her to marry you?" Mal started toward him with a growl, but one of the small boys stirred, giving him no choice but to stop. Aware that his sons' presence would stop the worst of his actions, Atherton pressed on. "Oh, seems it wasn't like that. Let me guess, you love her. Can't see why that is though. After all, she's just a common whore. Plenty like her in the verse." Mal's growl was louder, and he glanced around as if trying to find somewhere to place his slumbering sons. Inara seemed to sense his growing irritation, for she grabbed his arm.

"Let it go, Mal."

"You're going to regret saying that," Mal warned.

"Is that a challenge?" Atherton questioned. Mal opened his mouth, but Inara cut him off.

"No. No," she repeated, glancing pointedly at Mal. He closed his mouth abruptly, still glaring at Atherton mutinously. "It's not a challenge," she said firmly.

"Don't know. I've gotten a mite better since you've been trainin' me."

"No challenge, Mal." He shrugged. "Come on, let's go." Nodding, he turned away.

"How does it feel being a kept man, Captain Reynolds?" Atherton called, goading him.

"See? I'm gettin' better at these fancy shindigs," Mal remarked to Inara, not turning. Atherton watched them go, still contemplating his next move. He would make them pay. Both of them. And now that he knew they were involved and had children, it was just icing on the cake.

For the next hour, Atherton skulked around, staying out of sight of Inara and Mal but within earshot, hoping to catch a snatch of conversation which could help him to ruin them. He knew he was missing out on other potential contacts, but revenge ranked higher as far as he was concerned. He was happy to note that he was not the only one who seemed scandalized by Mal's presence though nearly every person that saw him complimented him on the boys which made Atherton's anger increase. Eventually, Atherton's efforts did pay off. Mal and Inara began arguing; Atherton could not hear the words, for they spoke softly, conscious of the children still sleeping on Mal's shoulders, but their gestures gave them away. After a few minutes, Inara stood. "I'm going to put the boys upstairs. Lady Braxton was kind enough to set aside a couple rooms for the little ones."

"I'll take them," Mal offered.

"No. You're going to stay here and socialize."

"'Nara." She simply glared at him, and he passed the kids over with a sigh. Stumbling a bit under their combined weight, Inara moved to the stairs while Mal moved to the bar. Now that he saw his opening, Atherton's eyes quickly scanned the crowd, finally coming to rest on a beautiful woman standing by herself against one of the walls, sipping a drink. He strode to her side quickly. "Hazel," he greeted with a wide smile. "Can I buy you another?"

She glanced at her still half-full glass and shook her head. "I'm okay on alcohol but I'm willing to entertain other offers."

"I had hoped that might be the case." Hazel was a whore, a beautiful one but a whore nevertheless. She had a falling out with the Guild a couple years before which meant that she was no longer an official Companion though she was still desirable enough that many men, Atherton included, wanted her. She used her beauty to her advantage, and her rates were quite high. However, she was the type of woman one could hire to come to an event such as the current one, and Atherton was sure someone had. He was not the only person in attendance with a Guild black mark.

"So, what will it be? My contract ends at the end of this party, so I'm free the remainder of the night."

"Actually, it's not for me."

"Oh?"

"A friend of mine needs some cheering up, and I thought you would be the best woman to do it."

Hazel looked at him critically. It was well known that Atherton did not have any friends, merely acquaintances whom he tolerated for business purposes. However, Hazel was a woman who did not pass up a paying job, no matter the suspicious nature. "My kind of cheering up?" she asked.

"Most certainly. He's fighting with his wife." Atherton pointed to Mal at the bar. She eyed him with interest and gave a murmur of approval.

"You have good taste, Atherton. For him, I'll cut my normal rate in half."

Atherton bristled a bit at the implication that Mal was more desirable than him, but he was not going to turn down a discount. Money mattered. Pulling out a few bills, he handed them to her. "The rest at the end of the night."

"How do I know you'll pay?"

"I've always paid my debts before." She studied him for a moment before nodding. Tucking the bills into her bosom, she pushed off the wall and walked toward the bar. Atherton moved closer as well, staying in the shadows of the wall where he would be unseen but could hear every word they said.

"You look like a man who needs the company of a good woman," Hazel remarked, sliding into the seat beside Mal. He grunted into his drink without looking at her.

"You're barkin' up the wrong tree. I ain't interested."

"Oh, everyone is interested. They just don't know it yet."

"I'm married," Mal said.

"It doesn't matter to me."

"Well, it does to me."

"Give me a chance. I'll prove it doesn't." She reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her, his expression incredulous.

"Lady, I don't know many more ways to say I ain't interested."

"Why? Am I not pretty enough?" Hazel's lip jutted out in a pout, an expression Atherton had always been unable to resist. Mal looked over her body critically.

"You're a beautiful woman. If'n I weren't married, I might just take you up on that offer. But I am married and personally find my wife even more beautiful." Hazel seemed slightly surprised by his vehemence, and Atherton understood her shock, for he felt it as well. Every other man he had met was powerless to resist Hazel's advances, especially when she truly wanted something. And she definitely wanted Mal. He could see it in the way she leaned subtly closer to him.

"I heard you were fighting with your wife."

"Did you now? Where'd you hear that from?"

"Your friend."

"Didn't think I had many friends at this shindig."

"Atherton."

Mal gave a snort of laughter, and Atherton saw him quickly scan the immediate vicinity. He shrunk further back into the shadows, but Mal didn't seem to find him. "Good ole Ath told you, huh? Did he also tell you that 'Nara and I fight pretty much all the time?"

"He didn't mention that. But he did say you could use some cheering up."

"I'm sure he did." Mal turned back to his drink. Somewhat confused, Hazel leaned closer, letting her ample breasts press against his shoulder. He jerked away as if burned. "Honey, you should take your attentions elsewhere. Ain't no need for them here," he told her. Hazel frowned at his response but did lean back slightly.

"Don't you want to be cheered up? I've been told I'm quite good at it."

"I'm sure you are, but there's only one person who does the. . . uh. . . cheerin' for me."

"It doesn't sounds like she's doing a good job if your marriage is so unhappy."

"Didn't say it was unhappy."

"You said you and your wife fight all the time."

"Well, we make up all the time as well." Atherton felt his rage increase at Mal's words. Hazel did not pick up on the true meaning, but Atherton knew exactly what Mal was talking about. He simply could not stand the thought of the man's dirty hands all over a beautiful creature like Inara. Mal stood with his drink, stepping away from the bar. "Piece of advice? Careful listening to Atherton Wing." With that, he strode away, leaving a confused Hazel still sitting on the barstool.

Atherton followed Mal for a bit, and he was still in earshot when Inara rejoined him. "Did you skulk in the corner the whole time?" she questioned, exasperated.

"Got me a drink first," he said, holding up his glass.

"Have you talked to anyone since I've been gone?"

"I did meet a lovely young woman at the bar. Didn't catch her name, but she's right over there." He nodded to Hazel who smiled and waved at him. He raised his glass in response.

"Mal, she's a whore."

"Such language." Inara glared at him, and he smirked. "I did pick up on that vibe. Told her I wasn't interested, but she was quite persistent."

"I find that difficult to believe."

"What? You don't think this pretty face could attract a beautiful woman? Married you, didn't I?" Inara shook her head at his antics. "Turns out our old friend Atherton hired her for me. Such a nice guy. Don't know why I cut him up so bad last time I saw him." His voice dripped sarcasm.

"What did he hope to accomplish with that?"

"Nearest I can tell, he hoped I'd succumb to her womanly wiles and run off in the night with her, leaving you to fall into his arms in despair. Not sure yet what he planned to do with the children but I imagine he wouldn't be averse to just leavin' them here. Didn't seem all that interested in bein' a family man from what I saw."

"That seems a bit too. . . rough a plan for Atherton."

"I imagine he was a mite surprised to see you here and didn't have all that much time for schemin'. Give him your social schedule in advance next time. Perhaps he won't have to think off the cuff." Inara turned and studied Hazel critically. The other woman shrank under her gaze and turned her attention to a couple other men at the bar.

"She is quite attractive."

"Not as beautiful as you, bao bei."

"Sap."

"You set me up hoping for that line." He cocked his head to the side as the orchestra began the next piece of music. "Hey. This is the one that you taught me. Wanna dance?" He held out a hand, and she rolled her eyes at him as she took it.

"You just want to avoid any more small talk."

"Way I see it, you get to dance with me, and in public no less, so we both get something out of this deal." He led her onto the floor, bowing as they began the steps.

"Are you planning to step on my foot this time?"

"Wasn't plannin' on it, but that can be arranged if you like, darlin'."

"You're incorrigible, Mal."

"Long as it's you doin' the encouragin'." Inara chuckled at the bad joke, and he smiled back as they touched hands, spinning around one another. Atherton fumed silently. They may have won the battle, but he was determined to win the war.


End file.
